On June 4, 2024, a press tour took place at the construction site of the Almaty Museum of Arts, the first contemporary art museum in Central Asia, founded by philanthropist and collector Nurlan Smagulov. Journalists were given an update on the museum’s progress and learned about its growing art collection, which now includes key acquisitions such as Yayoi Kusama’s iconic 'infinity room,' Love Is Calling (2013), Richard Serra’s monumental 23-meter-long sculpture Junction (2011), and Bill Viola’s immersive, five-channel video installation Stations (1994).

The press also had the opportunity to explore the museum’s architectural design, crafted by the renowned British architectural firm Chapman Taylor, with a global portfolio spanning over 60 countries. The building’s structure uniquely embodies the harmony between Almaty’s natural landscapes and urban environment. It features two L-shaped wings: one clad in limestone to evoke the mountains, and the other covered in aluminium, representing the city.

At the heart of the museum is Art Street, an expansive, light-filled central space with a soaring 18-metre-high ceiling. Traditionally, these courtyards acted as multifunctional spaces for social gatherings, trade, and community engagement. In the museum, Art Street reinterprets this concept, becoming a vibrant public space that links galleries and invites visitors to connect.

The concept for the museum was developed in collaboration with Lord Cultural Resources, a leading international consultancy in museum planning, which has contributed to major projects such as the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, and the Centre Pompidou in Paris.

Nurlan Smagulov, philanthropist and founder of the Almaty Museum of Arts, shared his aspirations for the institution: “The museum will not only serve as a cultural landmark for Almaty and Kazakhstan, but with time, we aim to establish it as a globally recognised institution. My goal is for Kazakhstan and Almaty to become key cultural destinations on the world map.”