Exhibitions

     On March 18, 2025, as part of the Nauryz celebration decade and in honor of the Day of National Costume, the Atyrau Regional Museum of History and Local Lore organized a temporary exhibition titled “National Clothing — Reflection of the People’s Soul.” The exhibition aimed to honor and popularize national clothing — a priceless heritage that reflects the centuries-old history, cultural identity, and spiritual essence of the Kazakh people. More than 30 examples of traditional attire from the museum’s collection were displayed. National costume is one of the most expressive symbols of a people’s uniqueness. Kazakh clothing is distinguished by its refined beauty, distinct methods of craftsmanship, rich ornamentation, and deep symbolic meaning.

 

      During the opening ceremony, guests learned about the processes of creating traditional garments, the artistic features of folk embroidery, and took part in an interactive discussion, where participants had the opportunity to explore the distinctive characteristics of Kazakh clothing in greater depth.

The exhibition presented a wide range of traditional Kazakh garments, including:

• Outerwear: chapan (robe), coat made of ferret fur (kuzenishik);

• Open-front garments: shekpen (cloak);

• Casual (inner-clothing): dress, kazhekey (vest), beshpent (caftan), shirt, trousers;

• Men’s headwear: hood (kulapara), fox fur hat, beaver hat, felt cap (aiyr kalpak), skullcap (takiya), and ear-flap hat (qulaqshyn);

• Women’s headwear: kasaba, saukele (bridal headdress), kimeshek (married woman’s head covering), and shawl (jaulyq);