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National Museum of Kazakhstan, Astana

Fountain with bronze horsemen in front of the white stone National Museum, its name on the facade, Astana
Photo: Мазур Владимир, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

The essentials in 10 seconds

Entry
5,000 ₸ foreigners, Gold Halls +1,000 ₸
Opening hours
Tue–Sun 10:00–18:00, ticket desk until 17:00
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Time on site
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes.
2 h
With kids
Fine with kids
Foreign visitors
5,000 ₸, without a guide
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Gold Halls 1 and 2
Separate ticket: 1,000 ₸, free audio guide
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Kazakh citizens
1,000 ₸; students 700 ₸; schoolchildren and pensioners 500 ₸
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Private tour for foreigners
5,000 ₸ per group of 1–4; Gold Halls tour in a foreign language 1,000 ₸
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Foreign exhibitions
2,000 ₸ extra for adults
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Closed
Mondays; the last Tuesday of every month is a cleaning day
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Photography
Only with the museum’s permission, which is a paid extra — ask at the desk
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Address
54 Tauelsizdik Avenue, Independence Square
Coordinates
51.11823, 71.46938YesGo MapGoogleApple
Time to allow
≈ 2 hours; 3–4 hours for every hall

Key facts

5,000 ₸admission for foreign visitors, without a guide
2 sourcesOrder No. 307-NQ of the Minister of Culture and Information, Appendix 15, as amended 25 May 2026museum notice
74,000 m²floor area of the complex, Central Asia’s largest museum
3 sourcesmuseum website, “History of the museum”Russian WikipediaAstana Times, 4 July 2014
1969the Golden Man was found in the Issyk kurgan near Almaty
2 sourcesEnglish Wikipedia, “Issyk kurgan”Russian Wikipedia
14,000 m²of exhibition space
2 sourcesmuseum websiteEnglish and Russian Wikipedia
2 July 2013Government Decree No. 675 founded the museum
2 sourcesmuseum website, “History of the museum”Russian Wikipedia
July 2014the museum opened to visitors
3 sourcesAstana Times, 4 July 2014e-history.kz, 3 July 2014English Wikipedia
7 blocksof varying height, up to nine storeys, make up the building
2 sourcesmuseum websiteEnglish Wikipedia
4,000+gold items lay in the Issyk kurgan burial chamber
2 sourcesEnglish Wikipedia, “Issyk kurgan”Russian Wikipedia
2 Gold Hallson a separate ticket: the Golden Man and Saka-Sarmatian art
2 sourcesmuseum price list (Order No. 307-NQ, Appendix 15)visitastana.kz
3 languagesKazakh, Russian and English on touchscreens and the multimedia guide
2 sourcesmuseum websiteAstana Times, 4 July 2014

Is the National Museum of Kazakhstan worth it?

Yes — if you only visit one museum in Astana, make it this one. It is the country’s main history museum and, by its own description, the largest in Central Asia: a 74,000 m² complex of seven white-and-blue blocks on Independence Square. It was founded in 2013 and opened to visitors in July 2014.

The draw for most travellers is the Gold Halls, with the Golden Man — a Saka warrior in a suit of gold plates — and treasures from burial mounds across the steppe. The rest of the museum walks you from Stone Age tools to Kazakh nomad life and the 20th century, with touchscreens and a multimedia guide in English.

It is not worth it if you have only an hour in Astana and dislike museums — then see the square outside instead. Note the two-tier pricing: foreigners pay five times what Kazakh citizens pay. At 6,000 ₸ with the Gold Halls, it is still good value for two hours.

National Museum of Kazakhstan tickets and price for foreigners

Prices are set by Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Culture and Information (Order No. 307-NQ, Appendix 15, as amended in May 2026). Foreign visitors pay 5,000 ₸ for general admission without a guide. Kazakh citizens pay 1,000 ₸, students 700 ₸, schoolchildren and pensioners 500 ₸.

The Gold Halls 1 and 2 need a separate 1,000 ₸ ticket — the same for everyone — and the audio guide is included free. Temporary foreign exhibitions cost another 2,000 ₸. So a typical visit for a foreign traveller is 6,000 ₸.

A private tour with a museum guide for foreigners is 5,000 ₸ per group of one to four. A guided tour of the Gold Halls in a foreign language is 1,000 ₸. Tickets are sold at the desk and online through Ticketon, linked from the museum’s website, nmrk.kz.

Free entry on the third Sunday of each month applies to Kazakh citizens only, and never to the Gold Halls. The museum states plainly that foreign citizens and residence-permit holders do not get it.

Kazakh citizens vs foreign visitors

Kazakh citizensyou are here1,000 ₸ (students 700 ₸, schoolchildren and pensioners 500 ₸)1,000 ₸, free audio guide500 ₸ in Kazakh or Russian2,000 ₸Main halls freeFree
Foreign visitors5,000 ₸1,000 ₸, free audio guide1,000 ₸ in a foreign language5,000 ₸Full priceNo separate rate listed — ask at the desk

Prices from the museum’s price list, approved by Order No. 307-NQ of the Ministry of Culture and Information, as amended in 2026.

What to see at the National Museum

  • Gold Hall 1 — the Golden Man from the Issyk kurgan, found in 1969 about 50 km east of Almaty, plus gold from the ancient metal-working centres of central, eastern and northern Kazakhstan.
  • Gold Hall 2 — Saka and Sarmatian art: finds from Berel, Shilikty, Taksai and other burial mounds, the animal style, reconstructed burials and an ancient metal workshop.
  • Ancient and Medieval History — from Stone Age tools to medieval pottery and coins, including the stone figure known as the Tobol Thinker.
  • Ancient Turkic Civilisation — the era of the Turkic khaganates that ruled the steppe in the early Middle Ages.
  • Traditional Kazakh Culture — a yurt, national dress, jewellery and everyday nomad life; the most photogenic rooms if you get a photo permit.
  • History of Kazakhstan, 13th–20th centuries — warriors’ weapons, documents and photographs, the famine, repression, the Second World War and the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site.
  • Fine Art — Kazakh painting, graphics and sculpture, including the sculpture Apa.

How to get to the National Museum of Kazakhstan

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On foot

More tips

  1. From Bayterek Tower the museum is about 3.5 km south-east. The quickest way is a Yandex Go taxi — 10–15 minutes to the entrance on Tauelsizdik Avenue.
  2. By bus: ride to the stops by Independence Square on Tauelsizdik Avenue. Check the route number in 2GIS, the most accurate local map app — several Astana stops were renamed or closed for roadworks in 2026. Pay with a contactless bank card or a transport card.
  3. On foot: 45–50 minutes east along Nurzhol Boulevard, then across the Ishim river to Independence Square. Lovely in summer, bitterly windy on the open square in winter.
  4. On the square, aim for the tall white column of the Kazakh Eli monument: the museum is the white building with blue glass blocks beside it.
  5. The ticket desk closes at 17:00 — arrive at least an hour before so you can still see the Gold Halls. Coats and bags go to the cloakroom.

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Astana history sights compared

History sights in Astana rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.

Bayterek Tower4645 min2,500 KZT; kids 6–15 1,250 KZT2.9 km
Independence Square and Kazakh Eli Monument4230 minFree7 min walk
Palace of Peace and Reconciliation391 h2,000 ₸ incl. guided tour12 min walk
National Museum of Kazakhstanyou are here322 h5,000 ₸ foreigners, Gold Halls +1,000 ₸—
ALZHIR Memorial and Museum321 h 30 min≈ 1,200 ₸, guided tour extra35.0 km

Half a day on Independence Square

The museum, the Kazakh Eli monument, Hazrat Sultan Mosque and the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation pyramid are all within a short walk. Add them to your route in one tap — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.

  1. National Museum of Kazakhstanyou are here2 h · 5,000 ₸ foreigners, Gold Halls +1,000 ₸
  2. 7 min walk from the previous stopIndependence Square and Kazakh Eli Monument30 min · Free
  3. 6 min walk from the previous stopHazrat Sultan Mosque40 min · Free
  4. 11 min walk from the previous stopPalace of Peace and Reconciliation1 h · 2,000 ₸ incl. guided tour

4 places · about 4 h 34 min with walks · 24 min on foot in total

Go · my route

Nearby — add to your day

Hazrat Sultan Mosque

Astana, Kazakhstan

40 min · Free · 13 min walk

Nurzhol Boulevard

Astana, Kazakhstan

1 h · Free · 43 min walk

How to do it right

  • Arrive at 10:00 opening — that leaves time for both the Gold Halls and the nomad rooms before the ticket desk closes.
  • Do the Gold Halls first — they take about an hour — then see the rest as time allows.
  • Pick up the free audio guide with your Gold Halls ticket; without it most cases are just beautiful gold.
  • Leave your backpack at the hotel — even a small one has to go to the cloakroom.
  • There is a designated spot for snacks; food and drinks are not allowed in the halls.
  • Afterwards, cross the square to Kazakh Eli and Hazrat Sultan Mosque — 5–10 minutes on foot.

Questions

How much is the National Museum of Kazakhstan for foreigners?

5,000 ₸ for general admission, plus 1,000 ₸ for the Gold Halls with a free audio guide. Kazakh citizens pay 1,000 ₸.

What are the National Museum of Kazakhstan opening hours?

Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00–18:00, with the ticket desk closing at 17:00. It is closed on Mondays and on the last Tuesday of every month.

Is the Gold Hall included in the ticket?

No. Gold Halls 1 and 2, where the Golden Man is, need a separate 1,000 ₸ ticket; the audio guide comes free.

Can you take photos inside?

Only with the museum’s special permission, which is a paid service. Without it, photography and filming are not allowed in the halls.

How long do you need at the National Museum?

About two hours for the highlights, an hour for the Gold Halls alone, and three to four hours to see every hall.

Is the National Museum of Kazakhstan worth visiting?

Yes — it is the best single introduction to Kazakhstan’s history, and the Golden Man is unique. Skip it only if you have under an hour in Astana.

Is there free entry?

On the third Sunday of each month, but for Kazakh citizens only and not for the Gold Halls. Foreign visitors always pay.

Are there English tours?

Yes. A private tour for one to four foreign visitors is 5,000 ₸, and a Gold Halls tour in a foreign language is 1,000 ₸. Touchscreens and the multimedia guide are in English too.

Where is the National Museum of Kazakhstan?

At 54 Tauelsizdik Avenue on Independence Square in Astana, next to the Kazakh Eli monument and opposite Hazrat Sultan Mosque.

Have you been? Was it worth your time?

1 — no, 5 — absolutely

Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.

Sources and fact-check

  • Order No. 307-NQ of the Minister of Culture and Information of Kazakhstan, 4 July 2025, Appendix 15, as amended by Orders No. 242-NQ (25 May 2026) and No. 399-NQ (28 August 2026)
  • National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan, nmrk.kz: Contacts, Museum rules, Third Sunday, For foreign visitors, Accessible museum, History of the museum
  • Visit Astana — Gold Halls tour at the National Museum; information for tourists on paying fares
  • Astana Times, 4 July 2014 — opening of the National Museum
  • e-history.kz, 3 July 2014 — the National Museum opens
  • English Wikipedia: “National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan”, “Issyk kurgan”; Russian Wikipedia; Wikidata Q18405670
  • BES.media — Astana bus stops closed for roadworks
  • Bento Travel — card and QR payments in Kazakhstan; Alipay+ and Kaspi.kz press release, August 2025
YesGo editorial team · facts checked 30.10.2026 ·
How we checkedPrices come from the current text of Order No. 307-NQ (Appendix 15 is the museum’s price list) and match the museum’s own notices on the foreigner rate and the free third Sunday. Older guidebook prices (700 ₸, or 1,000 + 2,000 ₸) are out of date. Hours and closing days are from the museum’s website; Visit Astana gives 9:30 opening, we show the museum’s 10:00. Sources give 7, 11, 18 or 20 halls — the museum’s own site gives two figures — so we don’t quote a number. The Astana Times dates the opening to 2 July 2014, e-history.kz to 3 July, so we say July 2014. We found no published price for the photo permit. We give no bus number: routes changed in 2026 and the only list we found dates from 2021.

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