In Otrar region, the oldest centre of the Kazakh civilization, by decision of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kazakh SSR, 1979, № 219 – р, on the base of protection and preservation of the historical and cultural monuments of Otrar oasis was founded Otrar state archaeological preservation museum. The main task of the museum is to protect and register museum exhibits. But the beginning of the fund was started earlier.
There is reason that the museum starts its foundation from the opening a school museum in 1967 by Asantai Alimov. A.Alimov and his students collected roughly 600 exhibits from the population of this region. A.Alimov recommended opening the regional museum because of too many exhibits were collected. The department of the oblast regional museum was opened in the centre of the former Kyzylkum region Shauder in 1975.
In 1982 Otrar state archaeological preservation museum is fully put into operation and around 764 exhibits from the funds of Kysylkum regional museum were completely passed on the funds of Otrar state archaeological preservation museum. It was given 5 rooms with 254 sq.m total area for keeping the exhibits in the museum. There are two funds in the museum. They are: the Main and the Spare, incidentally the exhibits are registered into the Main and the Spare income books. There were changes in the museum funds. It was separated the archaeological and ethnographical exhibits and all the shelves, cabinets were put correctly, exhibits were systemized and placed according to the registering numbers. All the fund works were slightly recovered. Staffs who were the head funder: 1. Anpilova Zinaida Grigorievna – 1980 – 1983; 2. Asantai Alimov – 1984; 3. Anpilova Zinaida Grigorievna – 1984 – 1996; 4. Apekova Raikhan Orazkhankyzy – 1996 – 2002; 5. Shokai Eraly Tolendiuly – 2002 – present; All the exhibits in the collection in the funds are original and rare items. On the base of the state manual book all the exhibits are well protected. Currently the museum works in the new direction. In 2012 during the repairing work it was installed heating, lightening air freshening systems, new net doors, fire alarm system, and video cameras in the exposure, as well as given additional rooms for keeping exhibits. All the fund rooms are provided by the racks, cabinets and safes. These works have a great importance to deliver the original exhibits and devoted to a long-term preservation and promotion in the world class level, study our national values.