Unique multifunctional complex -
Research center and modern museum -
The Library of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, widely known as the "Nazarbayev Center," is an architectural jewel of Astana's left bank. The building, completed in March 2013, is a magnificent "Eye" directed towards the zenith. The author of this bold project was the famous British architect Norman Foster.
The structure, covering an area of over 30,000 square meters, is unique not only for its shape: its roof is equipped with solar panels that partially provide the building with energy, and a special design allows for spans with a diameter of 81 meters without intermediate supports. The center is conceived as a symbol of the vitality and openness of modern Kazakhstan to the world.
The complex functions as a single intellectual space in five key areas: museum, archival, analytical, library, and educational.
Invaluable historical documents and a personal collection of books of the head of state, which he has been collecting since the sixties of the last century, are kept here. In these books, one can still see notes and bookmarks made by the hand of the First President.
The Nazarbayev Center is not just a historical monument, but an active platform where the country's best students study weekly, international experts work, and exhibitions available to every resident and guest of the capital are held.
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How to get there and visit -
The Nazarbayev Center complex is located at: 1, 1A Alikhan Bokeikhan Street, on the left bank of the Ishim River, Esil district, Astana city, Republic of Kazakhstan.
GPS coordinates: 51°06'58"N 71°26'34"E
You can reach the Library and Museum by buses: No. 19, 28, 52. Also, routes No. 12, 40, 42, 47, 51, 53, 70 pass in this area and stop within walking distance of the complex.
Entrance: Free (you must have a valid ID with you)
Opening hours: Monday – Friday from 09:30 to 18:30
Contacts: +7 7172 69 30 08 (Contact Center);
+7 7172 69 30 41 (Excursion Request Department);
+7 7172 69 30 44 (Excursion Request Department);
+7 7172 69 30 33 (Reading Room).
Official website of the organization
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History
The Nazarbayev Center building was erected using private funds and opened in 2013. It became a logical continuation of the first presidential residence on the right bank, which now houses the main repository of funds.
The center was created as a multimedia platform for popularizing the history of Kazakhstani statehood. Over the years, it has hosted thousands of delegations and became a venue for global forums. Since 2023, the Presidential Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan has been located here, continuing the traditions of preserving the country's historical heritage.
Information
The Personal Library fund includes about 28,000 books from the personal collection, while the total storage capacity is designed for 460,000 units. The center's archive contains about 140,000 digitized documents. Strict storage conditions are observed here: a temperature of 15-17 degrees and humidity of 50-55% are maintained in the repositories.
Three out of nine floors are open to the general public, housing 15 thematic exhibitions. The upper floors (eighth and ninth) house the working offices of the head of state.
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Museum and thematic halls (Floor-by-floor guide)
The Nazarbayev Center's museum exhibition is a journey from ancient Saka burial mounds to futuristic projects of the future.
1st Floor: Leadership and Ethnography
Hall of Independent Kazakhstan: the stages of the country's formation are shown here. Special attention is paid to the Gallery of Gifts – unique offerings from heads of foreign states are collected here.
Hall of Ethnography: the center of the hall is decorated with a snow-white yurt. Masterpieces of folk crafts are collected here: products made of leather, metal, and silver women's jewelry.
Hall "Kasiet": A repository of personal belongings of great figures. The most valuable exhibits are the robe of Ablai Khan, the belt of wrestler Baluan Sholak, and the camisole of Fatima-khanum.
2nd Floor: Archaeology and treasures of antiquity
Archaeological Gallery: covers the period from the Paleolithic to the Turkic Khaganate. Finds from ancient Taraz, including Karakhanid dirhams, are presented.
Hall of Antiquity: The main treasures are reconstructions of the "Golden Man" from the Issyk mound and the Berel chieftain. You will see 13 mummified horses in gold masks with mountain goat (tauteke) horns.
Hall "Kazakh Alemi": Personal collection of I. Tasmagambetov – rarest artifacts of the 18th–20th centuries: weapons, musical instruments, and unique women's belts.
3rd Floor: Path to Independence
Historical Gallery: reflects the struggle of the Kazakh people for sovereignty from the 15th century to December 1986. The halls are dedicated to the Kazakh Khanate, national liberation movements, and the Soviet period.
4th Floor: Religion and the Capital
Exhibition of Religions: demonstrates the peaceful coexistence of Islam and Orthodoxy. Rare editions of the Quran in Arabic and ancient icons are on display in the showcases.
Gallery "Astana: Past and Present": The history of the city from the medieval settlement of Bozok to the modern metropolis.
5th Floor: Art Gallery
A place for art lovers. Works by the best masters of Kazakhstan are exhibited here: A. Ismayilov, E. Tolepbay, K. Mullashev. The exposition is constantly updated.
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Detailed description of the objects
"Olympic Movement" Exposition: here you can see the personal belongings of legendary athletes – four championship belts of Gennady Golovkin and the costume of figure skater Denis Ten, in which he won bronze in Sochi.
Hall "Leader Recognized by the World": A collection of 200 photographs documenting the head of state's meetings with world leaders, starting from 1990.
Collection of Awards: An exhibition of orders, including the UK's highest award — the Order of the Chrysanthemum (for contribution to the anti-nuclear movement).
Central Atrium: A space 26 meters in diameter, around which the entire internal layout of the nine-story complex is concentrated.
Personal Artifacts: A copy of the "Golden Man" and a snow-white suit gifted by the President of Turkey.
Architecture
The building combines two forms: a circle ("headlight") and a square. Norman Foster's project is executed in high-tech style. The main technical feature is the glass roof, resembling a lens. Thanks to the tilt of the structure, the interiors are maximized by natural light. The concentric layout symbolizes unity and stability. A large Presidential Park with fountains and flower beds is laid out around the complex, which smoothly transitions into the embankment.
Legend
The public quickly nicknamed the building the "Headlight" and the "Eye." There is an urban legend that the "Eye" in the center of the capital is not just an architectural technique, but a symbol of vigilance and protection of the state. It is said that the solar panels on the roof are capable of accumulating energy even on the cloudiest days in Astana, powering the "intellectual brain" of the city.
There is also a rumor about deep underground levels connecting the center with other government facilities on the left bank, which adds an atmosphere of special state importance to the place.
Interesting landmarks nearby:
• Ishim River embankment;
• Ak Orda (Presidential Palace);
• Presidential Park;
• Palace of Peace and Reconciliation;
• Linear Park;
• Park of the First President in Astana.
Photogallery:
