On the eve of Capital City Day, the Museum of the Presidential Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan hosted a series of thematic tours united by the idea of dialogue between time, generations, and urban space. During these days, the museum became not just an exhibition venue, but a space of living engagement with history, where memories of the past came alive through personal stories, authentic footage, and meaningful routes.
Visitors and residents of the city were offered thematic tours titled “Chronicle of the Capital” through the museum’s permanent exhibition, quest programs “Capitals of the Kazakh State (Қазақ елінің астаналары)”, and guided tours of the photo exhibition “My Astana: From Past to Future” by Nurmukhamat Imamov.
Nurmukhamat Imamov’s exhibition features photographs of Tselinograd – the city that laid the foundation for the future capital. More than 230 black-and-white photographs recreate the appearance of streets, architectural features, and everyday urban life of the mid-20th century. This is a visual archive that allows not only to see, but to feel what the city was like before the era of transformation. The exhibition’s atmosphere fills the images with a warmth of authenticity, evoking memories in the older generation and sparking curiosity in the younger.
The tours attracted a wide range of audiences where each visit was meaningful in its own way. For students of School-Lyceum No. 64 in Astana and students from Pavlodar, the quest tours became exciting journeys through historical geography: the interactive format helped them engage with the material through participation, questions, and discoveries. It was not just about gaining knowledge – it was an experience that stays with them.
A special program was organized for members of the Urbanitarium club – teenagers exploring the urban environment of Astana. For them, the museum’s exhibits and Imamov’s photo exhibition became a space for analysis: how the city's identity was formed, how architecture shapes thinking, how the past helps envision the future. The young researchers saw in the archival images not only historical value but also a source of inspiration for their own practical, bold, and modern projects.
A warm and emotional meeting took place with representatives of the “Almaty” District Center for Active Longevity. For the older generation, the “My Astana: From Past to Future” exhibition was not just a collection of photos, but a return to the space of personal memory. Many recognized familiar streets and buildings, some even saw reflections of their youth. The tour was accompanied by heartfelt responses, stories, and commentary – true human memory came to life in the museum halls.
Among the museum’s guests in the pre-holiday days were also officers and sergeants of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Their interest in the city’s history was not only professional but also a reflection of a conscious attitude toward the processes through which national symbols and meanings are shaped. In this context, the museum serves as a space for civic education, where a sense of continuity, responsibility, and identity is fostered.
The tour series affirmed that the Museum of the Presidential Center is not just a guardian of artifacts, but a living cultural organism. Here, history is not separated from the present – it becomes its foundation. History is revealed not only through architectural lines, but also in personal biographies, everyday details, and silhouettes that the heart remembers.
We thank everyone who joined us during these festive days and invite those who have yet to come. A museum is not just about the past. It is about what we carry into the future.
