Discover Turan: Museum History and Culture

• Location: Turan in the Pii-Khem Kozhuun.
• Museum: Safyanov Historical and Local History Branch of the National Museum of the Republic of Tuva.
• Building history: The house was built in the early 20th century by Nikolai Ivanovich Byakov and later sold to Porfiri Reshetnikov, a peasant who had moved to the area.
• Topics: the development of the Uryankhai region, the daily lives of the Russian and Tuvan populations in the Pii-Khem District, and the years of the Great Patriotic War.

The museum branch building in Turan was built in the early 20th century by Nikolai Ivanovich Byakov. It was later sold to Porfiri Reshetnikov, a peasant who had moved to the area. This gives the branch a specific sequence of events involving its construction and subsequent sale.

The early construction date and the later sale are two distinct stages in the building’s history. For travelers interested in regional history, this offers a different perspective from the exhibition topics: here, the focus is on the building itself and the historical figures connected with it; there, on developments and daily life in the Pii-Khem District.

The museum’s main topics include the development of the Uryankhai region, the daily lives of the Russian and Tuvan populations in the Pii-Khem District, and the years of the Great Patriotic War. These topics offer three different perspectives: the history of a region, the daily lives of two population groups, and the history of a period of war.

This broadens the perspective from the history of the building to wider regional historical contexts. When comparing cultural attractions for your trip, you can distinguish between the construction and building history in Turan and the broader topics of the region and everyday life.

The wider context is the Republic of Tuva. In Kyzyl, the Tuvan Cultural Center offers children and adults courses in traditional crafts throughout the year. These include blacksmithing, wood and stone carving, making traditional musical instruments, and sewing national clothing; special attention is given to the throat singing style Khoomei.

A traditional Tuvan yurt stands in the center’s courtyard. Workshops on traditional cuisine, folk games, and other aspects of Tuvan culture are held there. If you would like to include courses or workshops in your travel plans, check the current schedule in advance.

The Valley of the Kings in the taiga area on the banks of the Uyuk is an archaeological highlight. The site includes numerous Scythian-era burial mounds and is considered a unique archaeological monument of southern Siberia.

The landscape offers another point of comparison: Ush-Beldir Nature Park has about 130 glacial lakes. In the Shu area, taiga, glaciated ridges of the Western Sayan Mountains, and numerous rivers and lakes are among the defining landscape features.

This makes it easy to distinguish between different interests: museum and regional history in Turan, crafts and Khoomei in Kyzyl, archaeological sites in the Valley of the Kings, or lakes and mountain landscapes in the Republic of Tuva.

Where is the Safyanov Branch located?

The Safyanov Historical and Local History Branch of the National Museum of the Republic of Tuva is located in Turan in the Pii-Khem Kozhuun.

What are the museum’s main topics?

Its topics include the development of the Uryankhai region, the daily lives of the Russian and Tuvan populations in the Pii-Khem District, and the years of the Great Patriotic War.

What is known about the branch building?

It was built in the early 20th century by Nikolai Ivanovich Byakov and later sold to Porfiri Reshetnikov, a peasant who had moved to the area.

For the broader travel overview: Republic of Tuva.