Traditional Event Dedicated to International Museum Day

The State Historical and Cultural Reserve Museum "Monuments of Ancient Taraz" held the traditional "Night at the Museum" event, dedicated to International Museum Day, in an online format. The event, held under the motto "Historical Heritage — National Treasure," was broadcast live on the institution's official social media pages. Viewers were able to see the recreated life of a medieval inn. The atmosphere of that era was conveyed by the Tortkul caravanserai, where the event took place. Its entire territory was divided into several zones. During the event, visitors could enjoy exhibitions of archaeological artifacts, models of medieval architecture — the mausoleums of Tekturmas, Aisha Bibi, Karakhan, and Babadzha Khatun, paintings by local artists, and books by Kazakh authors on historical themes. Information stands were also presented, telling about five architectural sites included in the UNESCO World Heritage List: the settlements of Kostobe, Kulan, Ornek, Balasagun, and the palace complex of Akyrtas.

Museum workers dressed in national costumes, as well as installations in the form of carts with fruits, vegetables, jewelry, haberdashery, and domestic animals allowed visitors to imagine life long before the modern era, when caravanserais not only served as inns but also as places for trade deals, important meetings, and news exchange... Once upon a time, guests of such protected structures were entertained by fakirs, acrobats, and jugglers. At the event, circus workers from "Balausa" performed in their roles. In addition, restoration artists conducted a master class on restoring ancient artifacts using ceramic vessels discovered by archaeologists during excavations. The highlight of the cultural and entertainment program was vocal and dance performances by artists of the regional philharmonic, as well as performances by actors of the regional Kazakh drama theater, who appeared as historical figures — the great steppe poet Zhambyl Zhabayev, prominent public and state figure, publicist and scholar Alikhan Bokeikhanov, famous writer Mukagali Makatayev, and renowned wrestler Kazhymukan Munaitpasov, whose jubilee dates are celebrated this year. All of this together mentally transported viewers and guests for several hours into the distant past, into the world of medieval Taraz.