The Kyrgyz State History Museum (russian: Кыргызский государственный исторический музей; ky, Кыргыз Мамлекеттик Тарых музейи) is a museum located in
Bishkek,
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan,, pronounced or the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia. Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the south, and the People's Republic of China to the ea ...
. The museum contains literally thousands of exhibits about the cultural heritage of the
Kyrgyz people, whose sculptures and objects date from antiquity to the end of the 20th century.
It is one of the most important museums in
Central Asia
Central Asia, also known as Middle Asia, is a subregion, region of Asia that stretches from the Caspian Sea in the west to western China and Mongolia in the east, and from Afghanistan and Iran in the south to Russia in the north. It includes t ...
.
History
During the 1920s and 1930s, one of the objectives was to complete certain ethnographic and archaeological collections, therefore, the construction of a museum to store different types of cultural and historical artifacts of Kyrgyzstan was proposed.
The museum was founded in December 9, 1925 as the first scientific institution in Kyrgyzstan.
In 1927, the museum was first opened to the public, the museum has received several contributions from historians and ethnographers such as Aleksandr Natanovich Bernshtam.
In 1933, the name of the museum was changed to Museum of Local Customs. In 1943, the name of the museum was changed again to the Museum of National Culture.
In 1954, it was renamed the State Historical Museum. In the 1960s it moved to a building constructed in 1928, this building was designed by the architect Zenkov. The current building where the museum is located was built in 1984. The construction of the building was intended to give the museum a distinctive design. It is located near the government house on
Ala-Too Square
Ala-Too Square ( ky, Ала-тоо аянты, ''Ala-Too ayantı'', ; russian: Площадь Ала-Тоо, ''Ploshchad' Ala-Too'', ) is the central square in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
History
The square was built in 1984 to celebrate the 60th anniv ...
.
In 2003, there was originally a statue of Lenin at the entrance of the museum but it was moved behind the museum, to a more secluded location.
The museum has several cave sculptures from the Bronze Age, as well as a series of collections of ancient coins and many ethnographic objects, jewelry and clothing from the 1st to the 5th century.
Also, the museum contains various photographs and documents about the formation and development of the
Kyrgyz Soviet Socialist Republic. The museum also houses exhibits on the migration of people in Central Asia. There is a typical handmade felted nomad yurt and mannequins dressed in typical clothing also.
In 2016, renovation work began on parts of the museum funded by the
Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency
The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency ( tr, Türk İşbirliği ve Koordinasyon İdaresi Başkanlığı, ) is a government department subordinate to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (Turkey). Focusing on development cooperation, Tİ ...
.
Gallery
File:Kyrgyz State Historical Museum 1.jpg, Interior of one of the museum's rooms where there are several statues and paintings.
File:E7901-Bishkek-museum-Lenin-carpet.jpg, Collection of flags
File:The Soviet Union 1989 CPA 6065 stamp (Vladimir Lenin. The Lenin Museum (Bishkek)).jpg, The Soviet Union 1989 CPA 6065 stamp (Vladimir Lenin. The State History Museum (Bishkek))
File:817 - State Historical Museum, Bishkek.jpg, Traditional carpets
References
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Museums in Kyrgyzstan
Buildings and structures in Bishkek
1925 establishments in the Soviet Union
History museums