A. Kasteyev State Museum of Arts Museum

The A. Kasteyev State Museum of Arts is the principal art museum in Almaty and the largest art museum in Kazakhstan, named for the painter Abilkhan Kasteev.

Its permanent collections cover Kazakh and Central Asian art, plus holdings of Russian, European and East Asian works and applied arts, presented across several galleries.

The museum preserves and exhibits both traditional folk art and modern visual art relevant to Kazakhstan’s cultural history while hosting temporary exhibitions.

The museum is located in Almaty and functions as a national cultural institution and public museum within the city.

• National scale and name: Recognised as the largest art museum in Kazakhstan and named after the painter Abilkhan Kasteev, a leading figure in Kazakh visual art.

What to See#

• Kazakh and Central Asian galleries: Permanent galleries dedicated to Kazakh and Central Asian visual arts, including folk and modern works that document local artistic traditions and national history.
• World and applied arts collections: Collections of Russian, European and Asian paintings and applied arts that form the museum’s broader international holdings and temporary exhibition spaces for rotating shows.

• Arrive on a weekday morning right after opening to explore the galleries before school and tour groups arrive; the quieter hours make longer-looking at works much easier.
• Check the museum's current temporary exhibition schedule and photography rules (some rooms restrict photos) so you can plan which galleries to prioritise during your visit.
• Many visitors breeze past the museum's smaller collections of Kazakh and Soviet-era art-allow time for the upper floors and any sculpture displays outside the main halls.