In the exhibition hall “History of the Region from the 17th to the First Half of the 20th Century,” visitors can learn about the process of the formation of the Kazakh people, the foundation of the city, and key historical events of the region.
Artifacts of the 17th–19th centuries are displayed here: scenes of fishing activities — catching and salting fish, objects used in fishing, a model of the sailing boat Reyushka, fragments of sledges, various types of nets and anchors. The exhibition also contains materials about the foundation of the city of Guryev.
Special attention is given to the weapons and military attributes of Kazakh batyrs: helmets and chain mail, armor and equipment, bows and arrows, spears and shields, as well as spearheads and flagpoles. The exhibits are presented in their original form.
A separate section is dedicated to the leaders of the Alash movement: Khalel Dosmukhamedov, Gubaydulla Berdiev, Makhmut Sholtyrov, and Ualitkhan Tanashev. Materials are also presented about the just and respected ruler Makash and his son Shavkat Bekmukhambetov — the first Kazakh lawyer.
In the section devoted to the national heroes Isatay and Makhambet, visitors can see the dombra of the poet-warrior Makhambet, the whetstone of Zhuzbatyr on which the rebels’ spears and sabers were sharpened, as well as a rich collection of archival materials. The hall is complemented by a collection of orders received by a famous elder from the tsarist administration and exhibits related to the history of the Bukey Horde.
