Museum as a Mirror of Culture: Field Session for Master’s Students in Design

As part of their research coursework, Master’s students from the «Design» educational program at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University held an on-site practical session at the A. Kasteyev State Museum of Arts. The event was dedicated to an in-depth exploration of the topic: «The Museum as an Artifact: Socio-Cultural Anthropology of the Visual Environment».

The traditional academic lecture format gave way to field analysis. Today's museum has long ceased to be merely a repository for relics; it is a complex, multifaceted cultural artifact where architecture, lighting, wayfinding, and visitor flow weave a cohesive narrative. The Master's students engaged with the exposition not as passive observers, but as visual researchers and anthropologists.

The future Master's graduates focused on human interactions with material surroundings – examining, for instance, how spatial layout and zoning direct visitor attention and foster emotional connections with exhibits, as well as how curated displays communicate cultural codes, traditional values, and societal mindsets.

During the workshop, students tackled practical case studies in mapping user experience (UX), evaluated the ergonomics of visitor pathways, and documented the visual semiotic codes embedded throughout the exhibition.

This immersive field practice highlights the department’s commitment to an interdisciplinary approach, where socio-cultural anthropological theory integrates seamlessly with cutting-edge design tools to cultivate professionals with sophisticated conceptual thinking.

M. Argynbayeva, Cand. of Philol. Sci., 
Acting Associate Professor, 
Department of Publishing, Editing and Design Arts