Carpet Museum

The museum in the city center is dedicated to the world-famous Turkmenistan carpets. In addition to numerous historical exhibits (including some outstanding objects of nomadic manufacture) two of the three largest hand-knotted carpets in the world are shown here. One notable detail is that none of the traditional patterns were used in the most recent of the oversized carpets. Rather, a new pattern of its own was designed here, which only at first glance reminds one of the traditional tribal symbols and, on closer inspection, reveals a stylized five-headed eagle. Reference is made to the President’s coat of arms.

Museum of Fine Arts

In this museum, more than 6,000 paintings, graphics, sculptures and carpets are shown – including works by Russian masters that go back to the 18th century. The museum is housed in a monumental new building right next to the Ministry for Fairness. The central work of art in the otherwise largely empty monumental entrance hall below the central dome is the painting “Abundance in the Harvest”, which President Niyazov shows in the context of an abundant wheat harvest. The subsequent Independence Hall is dedicated to works of art depicting the achievements of the President and his historical forefathers. There are works of art in honor of Berdimuhamedov as well as those in honor of Niyazov (for example the painting “Eternal, just, great leader”, which shows the first president in front of a map of the country, which in turn forms the foreground for a Turkmenistan flag). In addition to numerous similar works of art, works by artists from the 1920’s to 1980’s are also on display in the other halls.

National Museum

In the south of the capital is the extremely magnificent National Museum. The floor space of 30,000 square meters allows a generous design of the monumental complex. One focus of the exhibition is on depictions of the (official) history of the Turkmenistan nation. According to the model of linear historiography, every event in the area of today’s Turkmenistan is ascribed to the Turkmenistan nation, while at the same time the influence of foreign cultures is negated. Detailed slides show individual events in Turkmenistan history, while the sometimes remarkable exhibits in the large halls sometimes seem a bit lost. Another focus is on the detailed description of the various achievements of the incumbent president and the importance of these achievements for the progress of the country.

The identification mark of the National Museum is the tallest free-standing flagpole in the world at 133m (until 2011). The world’s largest flag (also until 2011) hangs on the flagpole.

Museum of National Values

The museum is part of the national cultural center at the south end of the park to celebrate 15 years of independence (opposite the independence monument). On display are the numerous gifts given to the Turkmenistan presidents by foreign visitors. Although mostly of little artistic value, the exhibition impresses with the lavish use of the finest and finest materials. Particularly noteworthy is President Niyazov’s golden family tree studded with precious stones, which shows Alexander the Great as the ancestor of the first President in addition to the legendary founding father of the Turkmenistan nation (Oghus Khan). In addition, there are, among other things, (gold and precious stones) models of oil production systems, (gold and precious stones) miniature editions of the books of the presidents of the country, Models of Turkmenistan carpets (gold and set with precious stones) and reproductions of the flag and the presidential coat of arms (gold and set with precious stones). While Turkmens only pay a symbolic entrance fee, foreigners can only get around the price of 10 dollars (or euros) set for them with great skill.

Other components of the national cultural center are the national library (from the entrance gate on the right, tourist tours at any time on request, visits for research work only after approval by the Ministry of Education) and the national concert palace (from the entrance gate on the left, usually closed)

Independence

According to sportsqna, museum Inside the room, which is reminiscent of a yurt, there is plenty of space for the few exhibits. The focus of the exhibition is on the prominent representation of selected elements of Turkmenistan culture (water melons and honeydew melons, Akhal-Teke horses, wheat, carpet weaving, fat-tailed sheep) and history (replicas of Parthian drinking horns, overview of the facilities of Merw and Konye Urganch) as well as the services of the President. While Turkmens only pay a symbolic entrance fee, foreigners only manage to avoid the price of 10 dollars (or euros) set for them with great skill.

Earthquake Museum

In the basement of the monument commemorating the earthquake of 1948, there was a small, almost intimate and, due to the impressive photos, very emotional museum with impressions of the destroyed city. The monument itself shows the earth breaking on the horns of an angry bull, from which a dying mother (the mother of President Niyazov) lifts her son (Niyazov as a baby covered in gold leaf).

In 2014, the monument was relocated to the outskirts along with a number of other monuments that had been disused in line with current political trends (such as the one for the father of the first president or the one in memory of those who fell in the war from 1941 to 1945). New, opulent museums have been set up here, which due to the very decentralized location of the park are mostly deserted despite their elaborate design. One focus of the museums is the representation of the transformation of Ashgabat under the incumbent president. The comparison with the much more subtle Soviet-era earthquake monument in the east of the city is still impressive.

School number 20

It was at this school that President Niyazov completed his education (1954-1957). Outside the school there is a small monument that shows Niyazov reading from a book to a schoolgirl. The classroom last visited by the President is home to a museum that displays the President’s credentials and the reports written about him by his teachers.