A New Cultural Landmark in Kazakhstan
The Almaty Museum of Arts has opened its doors in Kazakhstan’s cultural capital, welcoming visitors to a monumental new space for modern and contemporary art. Designed by British practice Chapman Taylor, the 10,060-square-meter museum stands at the edge of the city with the Tian Shan mountains rising behind it, an architectural gesture that captures the tension between urban life and the natural landscape.
Founded by entrepreneur and philanthropist Nurlan Smagulov, the museum showcases more than seven hundred works drawn from his collection, a gift that will ultimately belong to the city. The opening on September 12th, 2025 signals a significant expansion of Almaty’s cultural landscape, setting up the museum as a hub for both international and Central Asian art.
images © Alexey Narodizkiy
architecture by chapman taylor
Chapman Taylor’s design of Kazakhstan’s Almaty Museum of Arts brings together two contrasting volumes: Jura limestone walls anchor the structure to the earth, while aluminum-clad ‘L’-shaped wings rise in a subtle echo of the surrounding peaks. A central glazed corridor, known as Art Street, creates a luminous spine through the building, drawing natural light deep into the interior and framing views of the nearby mountains.
Inside, the spatial sequence is deliberately fluid. Visitors move from high, quiet galleries to more intimate rooms, including a multifunctional auditorium, creative studios, and a café that opens onto landscaped gardens scattered with commissioned sculptures. ‘We wanted the building to feel porous,’ says the team at Chapman Taylor. ‘It should belong to the city as much as to the art.’
The Almaty Museum of Arts opens in the heart of Kazakhstan
The Almaty Museum of Arts’ inaugural exhibits
The opening program signals the Almaty Museum of Arts’ ambition. ‘I Understand Everything,’ a sweeping retrospective of Almagul Menlibayeva, traces four decades of experimentation from early textile works to recent AI-driven projects. Nearby, ‘Qonaqtar,’ curated by Inga Lāce, draws from the permanent collection to explore hospitality, migration, and identity in Central Asia through paintings, sculptures, and contemporary installations.
The collection itself ranges from Soviet-era modernists such as Toqbolat Togyzbayev to contemporary figures including Saule Suleimenova and Said Atabekov. International dialogues emerge in works by Khadim Ali, Xu Zhen, and Jadé Fadojutimi, placing Kazakhstan’s art scene in conversation with global movements.
Chapman Taylor designs a 10,060 square-meter museum before the Tian Shan mountains
Several galleries are devoted to long-term installations, bringing rare opportunities in Kazakhstan to encounter major works by Richard Serra, Anselm Kiefer, Yayoi Kusama, and Bill Viola. Serra’s monumental Junction (2011), relocated with the artist’s approval before his death, envelops visitors in curving steel forms that alter the sense of gravity and scale.
Beyond the building, newly commissioned outdoor sculptures extend the museum’s reach into the city. Alicja Kwade’s Pre-Position evokes ancient astronomical tools, while Jaume Plensa’s twelve-metre-high NADES offers a moment of calm at a busy intersection. Yinka Shonibare’s vibrant Wind Sculpture (TG) II captures the energy of the region’s layered cultural identities.
outdoor sculptures by Alicja Kwade, Jaume Plensa, and Yinka Shonibare animate the plaza
Nurlan Smagulov donates a collection of more than 700 works to the city