Barkol Kazakh Culture Exhibition Hall

Barkol Kazakh Culture Exhibition Hall

The Barkol Kazakh Culture Exhibition Hall is a national AA-level tourist attraction.

Barkol Kazakh Culture Exhibition Hall

To accelerate the development of cultural tourism, enhance economic vitality, better promote Barkol, and protect local ethnic cultural heritage, the Autonomous County Party Committee and the People’s Government decided to establish the Barkol Kazakh Autonomous County Kazakh Ethnic Culture Exhibition Hall. This exhibition hall is one of the largest in Xinjiang in terms of floor space, featuring well-integrated, aesthetically pleasing, and comprehensive content. It showcases the long-standing history, rich culture, unique customs, and religious beliefs of the Kazakh people from ancient times to the present from various perspectives. It also introduces the lifestyles of the people who have lived here since time immemorial, the relatively advanced agriculture and industry of Barkol County, its vast and fertile grasslands, abundant mineral resources, as well as the diverse flora and fauna ranging from birds to beasts and from wild plants to forests. It also highlights developments in sectors such as education and healthcare. Making full use of modern technology, the exhibition combines real objects with models, and includes textual and visual displays, image exhibitions, and original sound playback, allowing visitors to quickly and enjoyably learn about the Kazakh people and the Barkol grasslands.

In line with the development vision of the Barkol Kazakh Autonomous County Party Committee and the People’s Government to build a modern grassland city that is “ecological, cultural, and tourism-oriented,” in August 2006, an investment of 1.4 million yuan was made to establish the “Xinjiang Barkol Kazakh Autonomous County Kazakh Culture Exhibition Hall.” Its primary mission is to protect, explore, and promote the traditional and outstanding cultural arts of the Kazakh people, and to foster the prosperity and development of Kazakh cultural and artistic endeavors. The hall has a total construction area of 1,120 square meters, divided into four exhibition rooms and two entrance halls:

1. The “Text and Image Exhibition Room” uses wall-mounted displays, arranged texts and images, publications, a sand table of Barkol’s topography, and audiovisual materials to provide a comprehensive introduction to Kazakh history and culture, customs, lifestyles, and the development of the autonomous county over the past 50 years;

2. The “Folk Customs Exhibition Room” houses over 300 items including ethnic musical instruments, handicrafts, daily necessities, and production tools, primarily showcasing the splendid culture and highly developed arts and crafts created by the ingenuity of the Kazakh people;

3. The “Barkol Resources and Products Exhibition Room” displays over 500 types of animal and plant specimens, industrial and agricultural products, and underground and surface mineral resources, introducing the county’s abundant resources and products; 4. The “Historical Heritage Exhibition Room” features nearly 200 cultural relics such as stone statues and rock paintings, as well as household items and production tools from earlier periods, reflecting the traditional history and culture of the Kazakh people.

Since its establishment one year ago, the Kazakh Culture Exhibition Hall has continued to carry out its various tasks effectively. At the same time, its unique charm and rich content have satisfied audiences, attracting numerous domestic and international tourists and visitors, and receiving widespread acclaim. It has become a highlight in the development of tourism in the autonomous county. Leaders from the autonomous region and the prefecture have visited the hall, affirming its achievements and offering high praise. In 2007, the Kazakh Exhibition Hall was established as a sub-department-level public institution under the Barkol Kazakh Autonomous County Culture and Sports Bureau, with dedicated staff assigned. Under the Party’s preferential policies and with strong support from leaders at all levels, the Barkol Kazakh Exhibition Hall has been awarded the titles of “National AA-Level Tourist Attraction” and “National Patriotic Education Base Open to the Public Free of Charge.” In 2009, the total number of visitors reached over 70,000.

Going forward, we will strive to develop new tourism projects, expand content, and create diverse approaches to make the Kazakh Culture Exhibition Hall one of the key tourism destinations in the region.