Animal Portraits At the Biological Museum At Al-Farabi Kazakh National University In Almaty

It's a great opportunity for some introspective, almost dreamy, stuffed animal portraits when the animals are displayed in cases with no environment. Time to capture some isolated action, some emotions.

Seeing Sea Specimens At the Biological Museum At Al-Farabi Kazakh National University In Almaty

So much fun stuff to see at the Biological museum. The outside perimeter of the space, basically classroom hallways, contains a series of shallow display cases. And a little magic.

Let's dip underwater and see what's up with crustaceans.

Ooh, formaldehyde filled glass tubes stuffed with various specimens. And then placed in some sort of semi-appropriate background. Surreal.

Fish, floating by.

More vials, more fantasy. Looks like fluid refills are needed.

The full mix. Creepy vials, scary fish. Looks like a cool hangout.

Funky Evolution At the Biological Museum At Al-Farabi Kazakh National University In Almaty

What did the dawn of the world look like? Let's let the fine artists at the Biological Museum give a freaky, funky interpretation.

The early world under the sea. Looks like a musical number is about to break out.

Progress. Land, marshy and desolate.

MMA at sea. Flying dinos ready to grab the pieces.

Recovery. The gators can survive anywhere. Is Florida proof enough? The greening of the Earth brings some big boys/girls.

MMA, land edition.

Nature Dioramas At the Biological Museum At Al-Farabi Kazakh National University In Almaty

One of the highlights at the biological museum is the impressive set of big dioramas. The displays feature a wide variety of animals and landscapes, each feeling authentic. The environments come alive.

Desolate desert landscape. And a bobcat chasing a rodent.

Emu, eggs, and newborn. Deer on the mountain.

Maybe about seagulls? Or the plight of seagulls? Or just how badass rocks can be?

Waterfowl life in the reeds. Fencing in a dead tree.

Washed away. This diorama shows the devastating mud slide and debris flow that damaged Almaty in 1921.

Back to nature. Fowl in the desert and a lunging badger in the forest.

Busy dogging it in the desert.

Basking At the Biological Museum At Al-Farabi Kazakh National University In Almaty

The main university in Almaty has a little biological museum, probably designed more for teaching students than hosting nerdy, weekend bio geeks. There's no ticket needed, no opening hours, no real entrance. One needs to track down an admin peep just to let you into the place. Worth it.

Vintage cool. A mix of dioramas, taxidermy, charts and dark, moody lighting.

Roaming tiger and a huge map of the biodiversity in Kazakhstan. Color coding is fun! A typical mix of dead things behind glass, dead things on stages.

Bio museums aren't just for animals. Behold the most sophisticated animal of all! Or, getting there. Still a work in progress.

Details of stone age life. Stoking the fire, developing your inner life. Being a cave man demands introspection.

What passes for a main entrance contains a wall size, tile mosaic, filled with glorious images of evolution. The highest level, the Ripped Man.