Nestled in the heart of Muynak, a town that whispers tales of a bygone era, stands a museum unlike any other in Uzbekistan. The Muynak Regional Studies Museum, also known as the Ecological Museum of Muynak, may seem modest in scale with its collection of less than two hundred exhibits, but it holds within its walls the poignant narrative of the Aral Sea—a body of water so grand it was once revered as a sea in its own right.
This museum is a custodian of memories, safeguarding paintings by Soviet artists, snapshots from the past, and remnants of the diverse flora and fauna that once thrived here. It’s a place where canned goods from a local factory sit alongside household items and artisanal crafts, each piece a fragment of the mosaic that illustrates the life and times of those who lived by the Aral Sea’s shores.
The journey of the Muynak Museum began in 1984, in the cultural sanctuary of Uchsai, within the Muynak district. As time marched on, the exhibition found a new home in the regional cultural center in 1998, and in 2013, the museum reopened its doors, reborn and revitalized, amidst a ceremony steeped in significance. The museum’s collection is graced by the works of Karakalpak artists Faim Madgazin and Rafael Matevosian, whose canvases—bearing titles like «The Sea is Gone», «Ships in the Sands», «Aground», and «Hope»—serve as silent yet eloquent testaments to the Aral Sea’s former glory and subsequent plight. These masterpieces, along with a rich tapestry of documentary chronicles, are shared with every visitor, inviting them to reflect on the enduring legacy of the Aral Sea.
Tours in Uzbekistan
