Аddress: Karaganda, Yerubayev Street 38.Tel: +7 (7212) 56-45-63
The Karaganda regional museum of history and local history was opened on November 7, 1932 according to People's Committee of RSFSR. The museum is situated in the two-storey-building. The museum is a communal state treasury enterprise on January 21, 1999. The exposition of the museum takes the area of 1800 square m and is situated in 14 halls. Ther eare 148194 units of storage in the fund of the museum, including the main fund – 25632 units, scientific-auxiliary fund – 122562 units: Re-exposition of the museum was done in 2011 using the newest informational means of the museum technology.
Exposition of the museum was divided into several thematic halls. «Hall of nature» presented with different species of birds, mammals and animals inhabiting Central Kazakhstan. The big interest was aroused by materials of International school of Kazakhstan «Kusbegi» reviving traditions of Kazakh people – art of training birds of prey. Hall of archeology has findings from 600 sites, burial grounds and settlements found in the territory of the region (Maitan, Yenbeksuigish and Begazy-Dandybaiandetc). Themodel-diorama of the cave, examined in mountains of Karkaralinsk, shows life and activity of ancient people.Findings from the site Batpak 8, 12 show tools of the first person – queencells, slivers, a tool for puncture, scrapers and stone weapons.Historical rarities saying about the empire of ancient Turks in the form of picture of Orchon-Yenisei stele of Kyul-Tegin with runic signs were presented in the exposition for the first time.
There are unique pieces in the hall «Traditional Kazakh society»: Original letters of Kazybekbi, Abulhairkhan, Abylaikhan and Kazakh people's last khan Kenesary Kasymov and other politicians, materials from archives disclosing history of national-democratic movement of Kazakh people in the beginning of XX century. Pieces showing history of the country in the period of Soviet Union are placed in separate halls.
One hall is devoted to history of coal output and formation of Karaganda coal basin. Materials about the first geologists in the region in 1920-30s – A. A. Gapeyev, Z. P. Semenova, I. V. Orlov-were placed in the exposition of the hall. Photos of the 30s, the diorama «Encampment» give a bright presentation about life of the first builders of the town.
Hall of cosmonautics contains spieces connected with Baikonur cosmodrom. It is known a part of the complex is situated in the territory of Karaganda and cosmonauts who started in steppes of Kyzylorda land here. Visitors are interested in the model of International space station, photos of T. Aubakirov before the start, cosmonaut's personal belongings and aviation devices of the plan-fighter.
There are two unique halls in the museum: «Images of ancestors»and «Scythian cultures». The first hall of computer animation of portrait reconstructions of ancient population in Kazakhstan «Image sof ancestors» hastheexpositionwhichcanbeconsideredastheonlyin its way in Kazakhstan and abroad. Ancient people on the screen «came back to life» and tell about important events, religious views and characteristic traits of own tribe, culture and social system. Items of material culture of ancient population in Kazakhstan- weapon, jewelry, ceramic dish-are presented in showcases.
Hallof «Scythian culture» was opened on the base of archeological findings found during study of barrows of burial ground Taldy-2 in Karakaraly district. «The Golden man» of Saryarka was presented here. As a result of the expedition 200 golden things, more than 22000 little jewelry made in early Scythian animal style which are considered as the evidence of burial representatives of nomadic elite here.
For a few years Karaganda regional museum holds archeological expeditions on the Tasaral Island, burial grounds of the unique culture of the island, which were not studied before in Kazakhstan. Research of monuments of Abay district, ethnographical collection of materials in the territory of the region are held.
The Zhezkazgan museum of history and archeology was founded in 1978. It was founded on the base of history and industrial museum of Zhezkazgan mining and smelting complex. The present building on Alasha khan, 22 was given to the museum in 1983.
A remarkable museum of mining and smelting business is located in the village Zhezdy, Karaganda region. It is only Museum in Kazakhstan and across Central Asia of the similar profile, only here visitors can get acquainted with the history of formation and development of mining and metallurgy from ancient times to the present days.