Palace of Independence, Official state palace in Astana, Kazakhstan

The Palace of Independence is a three-storey state events venue in Astana, not a museum building. Its first floor holds a Congress Hall seating 3,082, a Ceremonial Hall for 268 and a press centre for 220; the second floor holds the applied art, ethnography and archaeology galleries; the third floor houses the Museum of the History of Astana.

The palace opened to the public on 15 December 2008, with construction continuing until mid-2009. Its Congress Hall hosted the 2010 OSCE Summit and meetings of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council, the SCO and the OIC. It was also the venue for the inaugurations of Presidents Nursultan Nazarbayev and Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

The second-floor gallery of applied art and ethnography shows women's jewellery, national dress from different regions of the Kazakh steppe, warriors' weapons, song instruments, hand-sewn carpets and a scene of a bride's farewell. Alongside 18th- and 19th-century pieces are works by present-day masters, including a Kazakh yurt made by a contemporary craftsman.

Visitors should plan their visit with a guided tour, which provides better orientation through the building. It is advisable to check ahead of time, as some areas may be restricted or closed for special events.

Inside the palace is a large-scale model showing the planned city development for the coming decades. The model displays the vision for the city's future and gives visitors insight into the planning ambitions behind Astana's transformation.