Historical museum of the Akmola region was founded in 1920, and today it is considered as one of the oldest cultural institutions in the Republic of Kazakhstan. A small museum was established in Kokshetau by Board of Education on March 1920. The main exposition consists of different valuable artifacts (ancient weapons, items of east culture), confiscated things of fleeing with ataman Kolchak and wealthy locals. A group of employees of the local executive committee – Prigozhi, Zhukov and others were founders of the museum. Soon I.S.Hohlov and his colleague I.N.Ulyanova, who personally knew Lenin, were invited to head the museum.
The museum building, built in 1904, is a monument of architecture and history. After the revolution, the first county council of workers and peasants' deputies housed it. Regional historical museum has located here since 1974.
The activities of the museum aim to demonstrate exhibits, which vividly expresses features of the nature and history of the region, life and traditions of local people. Currently, the museum has department of funds, history and ethnography, archeology and nature and mass-excursion department.
The museum has 71,195 artifacts, and among them are monuments of material and spiritual culture, which reflect the ancient and modern history of the region, ethnography and life of the local people, natural science collections, and documentary photo materials. The museum is actively working on the collection of exhibits, and it organizes archaeological, homonymic and ethnographic expeditions.
New life of the museum began in 2013, when it re-opened after a complete renovation lasted for several years. Now the oldest museum in Kazakhstan has become one of the most modern and technically equipped museums. The museum has changed the name, and now it is called Historical Museum of the Akmola region.
The new museum has increased the number of exhibition halls to seven. Touch stands are also established here, which display information about exhibits. The exhibition presents the history of the Akmola region from ancient times to the present day.
The hall "Mir Abylaykhan" takes special status in the museum, here presented a rich story about his visit in the territory of Northern Kazakhstan. Because Kokshetau was inextricably linked with his name, as soon as khan rate was located here for many years. Abylaykhan Hall is a kind of brand museum. It is known that talented commander was a founder of the Kazakh state, who strengthened and preserved the independence of the country. The visitors can see the reconstruction of his clothes, correspondence with Russian rulers, "Teyle" samovar factory of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, plants of Kuznetsov factory, Russian coins of 1768, and coins with the monogram of Ekaterina II.
Reconstruction of dombra folding that Khan always took with him during hike. A special stand dedicated to Khan's relations with China - the reconstruction of letters (1755) to Chinese emperor, Chinese vases and others.
Another unique exhibit - shapan, script, that presented to Shyngys Ualikhanov during the coronation of Alexander II. Descendants gave it to the museum in 1970.
Special attention is taken by "Ancient History and the Middle Ages" hall. There are the Turkic period exhibits of the 6-8 centuries, which excavated in the Ereymentau district.
Presented Kazakhs arms of the 18th century (originals) were found during expedition in the Birlestik village, Aiyrtau district.
Medieval coins, silver-plated bowl, Chinese mirror of the 7-9 centuries were found during expedition in the Vyacheslav village, Arshaly District. Such mirrors are only three in the world, and one of them is in the Historical Museum of the Akmola region, the other two in Russia - in the Republic of Tyva and St. Petersburg Museum.
Museum staff actively works on research and educational activities. They regularly deliver lectures and make traveling exhibitions on themes: "The state symbols of the history of Kazakhstan", "Cities and Years", "Armament and military affairs of the nomads", "Time and Money" ( collection of coins and coupons from the museum), "Findings of the Old Court", "Shokan Ualikhanov", "Ethnography and life of local people", "Birds - our friends", "The emergence of the life on the Earth", and provide cycle of talks on paleontology by showing films from the BBC series.
A small town Atbasar is located in Akmola region, which is closely connected with the name of a famous Kazakh writer Ilyas Esenberlin. Atbasar is the hometown of the writer. He often came here to visit his compatriots. Literary Museum of I.Esenberlin was opened in his homeland, 1999. His son actively participated at the opening ceremony of the museum.
Ereymentau historical museum can not be attributed to a large and widely known museums in Kazakhstan. Nevertheless, this small and cozy regional museum has a good collection of exhibits telling about the history of this region and about the glorious Kazakh warrior Bogenbay Batyr. The museum is located in the heart of the village, in a spacious one-story house, which is a historic building of the late 19th century.