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Exhibition «From Athens to Astana: Olympic artifacts from the V. Potanin collection»

The exhibition «From Athens to Astana: Olympic Artifacts from the Vladimir Potanin Collection» has opened at the National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

The exhibition has been organized to mark the 130th anniversary of the first modern Olympic Games and will become an important part of the cultural programme of the international multi-sport tournament «Games of the Future 2026».

The exhibition was jointly organized by the Ministry of Culture and Information of Kazakhstan, the Ministry of Tourism and Sports, the National Museum, the National Olympic Committee, and the «V. Potanin Olympic Collection» project.

The exhibition features 140 original artifacts from Vladimir Potanin’s collection. Among them are award and commemorative medals presented at the Olympic Games since 1896, as well as Olympic torches and diplomas.

Visitors can also see personal sports equipment belonging to renowned athletes from the National Museum’s collection. In particular, the exhibition features photographs and unique artifacts highlighting the sporting careers of Olympic legends V. Smirnov, B. Sattarhanov, B. Artayev, S. Sapiev, A. Vinokurov, D. Ten, O. Rypakova, G. Golovkin and E. Smetov.

The exhibition space has been designed to create a distinctive sporting atmosphere. Areas styled as a wrestling mat and a boxing ring further enhance the exhibition experience. In the digital section, neural network technologies bring images of ancient gods and athletes depicted on Olympic diplomas «to life», offering visitors a contemporary way to explore the history of the Olympic Games.

A key feature of the exhibition is its unique travelling format, dedicated to the history of the Olympic movement. The V. Potanin Olympic Collection has previously been exhibited in Moscow, Sochi and Beijing, as well as in Minsk during the 2nd European Games, in Kazan as part of the BRICS Games, and in St. Petersburg during the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

These artifacts not only tell the story of the Olympic Games but also showcase the evolution of art and aesthetics across different historical periods.

The exhibition will run until September 30, 2026.