The Palace of Peace and Reconciliation in Astana hosted the presentation of the international exhibition "Leonardo da Vinci: Genius of the Renaissance," dedicated to the life, research, and engineering legacy of one of the main thinkers of the Renaissance.

The opening was attended by Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Aida Balayeva, exhibition commissioner Olga Rigo, director of the Leonardo da Vinci Museum in Rome, Augusto Biaggio, as well as representatives of the diplomatic corps.

Opening the exhibition, Aida Balayeva noted that the exposition opens on International Museum Day — a holiday that unites people around the idea of preserving world cultural heritage, developing science, art, and intercultural dialogue. According to her, 286 museums successfully operate in Kazakhstan, storing over 4.5 million exhibits in their collections, and the annual number of visitors exceeds 6.5 million people.

At the same time, the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized that holding such international exhibitions is important for the development of cultural tourism in Kazakhstan. Such projects not only expand citizens' access to world cultural heritage but also enhance our country's potential as an open cultural center where history, art, science, and modern educational practices meet.

"As Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has repeatedly stressed, states that promptly implement digital technologies will not be left behind by progress. That is why the country pays special attention to the development of innovations, creative industries, and modern cultural trends. In this context, the figure of Leonardo da Vinci acquires special symbolic significance. His ideas and scientific developments were centuries ahead of their time. He managed to combine art, science, engineering, and creative thinking into a single space of creation. In essence, such personalities became the first pioneers of innovation and creativity in world history," said the Deputy Prime Minister.

Furthermore, Aida Balayeva highlighted the ongoing work on implementing major international exhibition projects aimed at strengthening cultural cooperation and promoting Kazakh art on the world stage. Specifically, in 2024, an exhibition of Leonardo da Vinci's painting "La Bella Principessa" was held in Kazakhstan, the "Kazakhstan: Treasures of the Great Steppe" exhibition was presented at the Guimet National Museum of Asian Arts, the international exhibition "Golden Man and the Great Steppe" took place in China, and the "Masterpieces of Kazakh Art" exhibition was organized at the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow. Kazakhstan also presented its National Pavilion at the 61st Venice Biennale, and this autumn, an exhibition "20th Century Russian Art in 30 Masterpieces" will open in Almaty.

It should be noted that over 40 full-size models of Leonardo da Vinci's mechanisms, reconstructed from his drawings and notes from the famous "Vincian Codices," were brought to Astana from museums in Rome and Florence. Among the exhibits are flying machines, engineering structures, military machines, and devices whose ideas were significantly ahead of their time and became prototypes for modern technologies.

"Today, Astana is becoming an important international platform for major cultural and multimedia projects. It is a modern city associated with development, technology, and moving forward. And it is here that it is especially symbolic to talk about Leonardo da Vinci — a man who was centuries ahead of his time. I am confident that the exhibition will be an important event for the residents and guests of Astana," said Olga Rigo.

The exposition is spread over an area of about 3,000 square meters. The space is divided into thematic zones dedicated to air, water, earth, and fire. This structure allows tracing how Leonardo da Vinci studied the forces of nature, movement, human anatomy, and the principles of mechanics, transforming his observations into engineering solutions and inventions. A separate part of the exhibition is dedicated to reproductions of the artist's most famous works. The exhibition is presented in a multimedia format: LED tunnels, digital projections, and holographic installations help visualize Leonardo da Vinci's ideas and demonstrate how his inventions might have worked.

The exhibition is supported by the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Akimat of Astana. The organizers are "Astana Concert" company.

The exposition will be open to visitors daily from May 19 to September 30, 2026, from 10:00 to 20:00, seven days a week, at the address: Tauelsizdik Avenue, 57.