This June marks ten years since the Dashoguz Velayat Local History Museum’s new modern building opened its doors. The three-story white marble-clad building with a cone-shaped dome blends national architectural traditions with construction innovations. It is one of the distinctive landmarks of modern Dashoguz.
The Dashoguz Velayat Local History Museum has been in existence since 1974, and its new building enabled archeological and ethnographic rarities to be preserved in optimal conditions.
The Museum is home to more than 12,000 objects. Visitors are offered a chance to see archeological finds, antique clothes and carpets, jewelry, household items, documents relating to local history, to name but a few.
According to specialists, the unique artifacts, which were discovered during the Khorezmian Archeological and Ethnographic Expedition led by Academician Sergey Pavlovich Tolstov, are among the Museum’s most valuable treasures.
The Museum’s collection continues to grow with hundreds of new additions made every year. New items represent different time periods and provide a window into the history and local life of the country’s northern region. Most of them are collected by specialists during expeditions to etraps. A substantial part is also donated to the Museum by locals.
The permanent exhibition of the Museum is divided into thematic displays: archeology and ethnography, nature and fine art, and the region’s present-day development and new buildings. Its storage facilities, restoration rooms and laboratories are tooled with up-to-date technical equipment and have optimum conditions for preserving and restoring artifacts.
Noteworthily, the Dashoguz Velayat Local History Museum is fully fitted with modern technology. Its halls boast interactive screens used to show theme-based films. A 140-seat conference hall, well equipped with a simultaneous interpretation system, plays host to forums attended by foreign guests.
The Museum is now designing audio guides. Its online portal offers visitors to catch all the latest news or to take a virtual tour.
Batyr URAEV
