Getting There
The museum is located in the very center of the city, in the Ala-Too square. Can be reached by public transport and taxi. Opening hours: from Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00 (in winter from 9:00 to 17:00).
What to Expect
The museum presents exhibits of ethnographic and archaeological collections – weapons and household items of the Bronze Age, Saka jewellery made of precious metals, made in an animalistic style, products of the period of the great migration of peoples.
In the halls there are rock paintings, stone sculptures, ceramics, tools and other artefacts found in the excavations of ancient sites of nomadic tribes.
It is also interesting to look at traditional textiles made of felt, leather, wool and chiy (straw processed in a special way) made in the 19th and early 20th centuries. A special place is allocated for folk costumes, Kyrgyz embroidery and accessories for harnessing horses.
History
The museum was founded in 1925 as a scientific institution, in 1933 it received the status of history museum. The building is located on Ala-Too Square right behind the monument to the hero of the national epic Manas the Magnanimous. The museum was erected in 1984 according to the project of a group of local architects.
Today, the State Historical Museum has become a major research, cultural and methodological centre. The museum fund has more than eighty thousand amazing exhibits, of which 44 thousand are items of the main exhibition fund.
Part of the exposition is devoted to the Soviet period. Documents, photographs, personal belongings of the people who headed the republic, paintings of that era, gifts from foreign countries, etc. are collected here. The museum is also famous for its excellent selection of edged weapons and coins.
Facilities Available
Nearby attractions:
- Oak park
- Government House
- Building of Jogorku Kenesh (Parliament)
- Ministry of Agriculture
- Bookshop “Raritet”
- Cinema “Ala Too”
- Restaurants and cafes
