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Buildings are silent keepers of cities’ history. For its short life, Almaty has survived ravaging invasions, earthquakes, mudslides, the revolution, Civil War and the forfeit of its status of a capital. The building containing witnesses of all events that have influenced the local history is the Central Museum of Kazakhstan (open daily except Tuesdays, 10.00 a.m. - 06.00 p.m.) Most visitors to Almaty start their acquaintance with Almaty there.
The three-story square building with nine domes on Furmanov Street, right opposite the President’s Palace, is visible from afar. The blue domes, biggest in the middle and the rest along the perimeter, coupled with white stone walls look impressive and magnificent. The Museum is even more beautiful at nights when illuminated with blue floodlights. People like to spend time in a small park with ponds, stone bridges, rock compositions and weeping willows in front of the Museum.
The Museum’s biggest collection in Kazakhstan consists of 120, 000 exhibits displayed in its four huge halls and 200, 000 in reserves. Especially popular stands hold Kazakh traditional clothes, household articles, jewelry and other pieces of art.
There are also real pictures taken during 2 severe earthquakes that almost completely wiped out the city in 1887 and 1910.
Even if you are not a lover of history, we advise you to visit the Museum to buy good souvenirs, national jewelry, paintings and sculpture.
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