The "Regional Historical and Local Lore Museum of Semey City" is a communal state treasury institution under the Department of Culture, Language Development, and Archive Affairs of Abai Region.

The museum is an inexhaustible source and reservoir of science, knowledge, culture, history, and heritage. It aims to influence the formation of societal consciousness as a transmitter and promoter of the heritage of past eras to the younger generation. It plays a significant role in strengthening national consciousness and establishing state ideology.

One of the oldest and largest museums in Kazakhstan, the Regional Historical and Local Lore Museum of Semey City was established on September 11, 1883, at the initiative of members of the regional statistical committee. Among the founders of the museum were E.P. Michaelis, V.N. Filipov, and M.I. Suvorcev. The opening of the museum and public library was supported by the chairman of the Statistical Committee – the military governor of Semey Region, A.P. Protsenko.

Throughout its history, the museum has received support from great figures such as Abai, his talented student, poet, and philosopher Shakarim, and the towering writer of our time, Mukhtar Auezov.

In its first hundred years, the sacred abode changed its location eight times. The current building, which was moved to in 1978, is the Governor's House built in the 1890s. This unique building showcases 19th-century architecture and is listed among the national historical and cultural monuments.

During the revolution and civil strife, this place was called the "House of Freedom." In this building, in 1917, Alihan Bokeikhan, the head of the Alash government, met and conversed with the city residents. That year, the first regional congress of the Kazakhs was held here, where a decision was made to establish the Kazakh autonomy.

It is known from the museum's history that its collection was filled with personal collections of political exiles and local intellectuals. In the early decades of the museum, the number of artifacts in the collection amounted to 2,489 items, most of which (427 items) belonged to the early and medieval periods of history. They are still considered the gold reserve of the museum today.

Today, the number of artifacts in the museum's storage has exceeded 138,000. Additionally, a scientific library with a collection of about 36,000 works operates within the museum. It contains rare books from the 18th and 19th centuries; dictionaries, reference books, scientific works, and works by scholars from Central Asia, China, and Russia, as well as reports from the Semey Statistical Committee, atlases, and geographical maps. Manuscripts from members of the Semey branch of the Russian Geographical Society are preserved. Printed publications from the late 19th to early 20th centuries can also be found in this library.

The current exhibition layout of the institution includes: "Introduction Hall," "Paleontology and Geology," "Nature of the Native Land," "Archaeology and Ethnography," "History of the City and Region," "Cultural Life of Semey in the 19th Century," "The Alash Idea – The Foundation of Independence," "Abai. Shakarim. Mukhtar," "Semey Region: Art, Knowledge, Culture, Sports," "Semey Nuclear Test Site," "History of Football," "History of Metrology," "Enterprises of Semey City," among other exhibitions.

Currently, the Regional Historical and Local Lore Museum has 5 branches and 2 departments. One of them is the "Glory of Valor and Labor" department located in the city cultural palace. The other branches and departments are situated in the territories of Abai, Aksuat, Ayagoz, Urjar, and Makanashy districts.

Today, the staff of the Regional Historical and Local Lore Museum, which is under the Department of Culture, Language Development, and Archive Affairs of Abai Region, continues the established traditions. They aim to responsibly preserve, research, collect, and promote the historical and cultural heritage of the region.

About the Collection

The total collection of the Regional Historical and Local Lore Museum of Semey City consists of 123,966 storage units, including 82,322 main and 41,644 additional collections.

Requests and Indicators

The "Regional Historical and Local Lore Museum of Semey City," a communal state treasury institution under the Department of Culture, Language Development, and Archive Affairs of Abai Region, provides state services in the preservation, accounting, and scientific research of museum collections, promotion of historical and cultural heritage, organization of permanent and temporary exhibitions, and cultural and educational services, as well as conducting educational and cognitive events.

In providing services, the museum operates in accordance with the Republic of Kazakhstan's "Law on Culture," as well as the regulatory legal acts in the field of museum collections and museum protection.

State services are provided through the museum's reception department, as well as in electronic format via the museum's official internet resources and information systems.

In 2025, a total of 244 incoming documents were registered, including:

- electronic applications – 32,

- submitted in person – 1.

Of the applications, 5 were from legal entities, and 35 were from individuals. The number of archival references is 4.