About the museum

History of the museum

The State Museum of Art of the Republic of Karakalpakstan named after I.V. Savitsky is one of the largest art museums in Uzbekistan. According to experts, the museum has the second largest and most significant collection of Russian painting and graphics of the first half of the 20th century (after the State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg).

Date of foundation: February 5, 1966 - by the decision of the Government of the Republic of Karakalpakstan.
Opening for visitors: May 1966.
First building: second floor of the Museum of Local Lore of the KKASR, 2 Karl Marx St. (Nukus).
The founder of the museum and its first director was Igor Vitalievich Savitsky.

Great help in organizing the museum was provided by:

  • scientist and public figure Marat Kuptleuovich Nurmukhamedov,
  • secretary of the Karakalpak regional committee of the CPUz in the 1960s. Kalibek Kamalov.

Biography of I.V. Savitsky

Igor Vitalievich Savitsky
Early years
  • Born on August 4, 1915 in Kyiv in the family of a lawyer Vitaly Viktorovich Savitsky and Vera Timofeevna Florinskaya.
  • From early childhood he was fond of drawing.
  • In the early 1920s, the family moved to Moscow. There Igor began to take lessons from artists R. Mazel and E. Sakhnovskaya.
Education
  • 1934–1936 – Moscow Polygraphic Institute (graphic department).
  • 1936–1938 – Moscow Regional Art and Pedagogical School in memory of the 1905 uprising.
  • 1936–1941 – Institute for Advanced Studies of Artists (Department of Monumental Painting).
  • 1941 – entered the Moscow Art Institute (graphic department).
  • 1942 – during the evacuation of the institute he was in Samarkand (first acquaintance with Central Asia, which influenced his fate).
  • 1945 – graduated from the institute, admitted to the Union of Artists of the USSR.
Creative and scientific activity
  • 1950–1956 – artist of the Khorezm archaeological and ethnographic expedition of the USSR Academy of Sciences (headed by Professor S.P. Tolstov).
  • 1956 – moved to Nukus. Worked in the laboratory of applied arts at the Karakalpak branch of the Academy of Sciences of the Uzbek SSR.
    • The beginning of a large-scale activity to collect works of decorative and applied art of the region.
    • At the same time he was engaged in painting and supported local artists.
Creation of the museum

1966 – realization of Savitsky's idea of a cultural center in Karakalpakstan. From the moment the museum was opened, he completely devoted himself to museum work. Thanks to his artistic education, taste, intuition and perseverance, Savitsky collected a unique collection:

  • materials of the archeology of Ancient Khorezm,
  • decorative and applied art of the peoples of Karakalpakstan,
  • painting and graphics of Russia and Uzbekistan of the 20th century.
Last years and memory
  • 1984 – death of I.V. Savitsky in Moscow. According to his will, he was buried in Nukus.
  • In the same year, the museum was named after its founder.
  • 2002 – Savitsky was posthumously awarded the Order of the Republic of Uzbekistan “Buyuk xizmatlari uchun” (“For Great Services”).

Savitsky dreamed that the museum would be visited not only by residents of Karakalpakstan, but also by art lovers from all over the world. Today his dream has come true: the museum has a specially designed building, and among the guests are tourists and specialists from different countries.

Architectural complex

A modern museum complex of three buildings, designed by the famous architect Sergo Mikhailovich Sutyagin.

Block 1

Block 1

Built in 2003. A three-story structure with arched niches imitating the portals of medieval monuments of Central Asia.

  • Administrative premises (1st floor)
  • Exhibition halls (2-3 floors)
  • Pyramidal skylight
Block 2

Block 2

Built in 2017. Exhibition and exposition building, repeating the architecture of the first block.

  • Conference hall (1st floor)
  • Administrative premises
  • Exhibition halls (2-3 floor)
Block 3

Block 3

A depository built in 2017 for storing and studying museum collections.

  • Stockrooms (1-2 floors)
  • Offices of researchers
  • Restoration laboratory

Leadership

Photo Izentayeva Gulbahar Zhollybaevna

Izentayeva Gulbahar Zhollybaevna

Director of the State Museum of Arts of Karakalpakstan named after I.V. Savitsky

Photo Ametova Saera Bazarbaevna

Ametova Saera Bazarbaevna

Deputy Director for General and Financial Affairs of the State Museum of Arts of Karakalpakstan named after I.V. Savitsky

Photo Yusupova Bibisara Zhumabaevna

Yusupova Bibisara Zhumabaevna

Scientific Secretary of the State Museum of Arts of Karakalpakstan named after I.V. Savitsky

Photo Yusupova Amangul Tazhikalovna

Yusupova Amangul Tazhikalovna

Acting Chief Curator of the State Museum of Arts of Karakalpakstan named after I.V. Savitsky