The exhibition, dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci's inventions, which opened in Astana, offers visitors the opportunity to explore the brilliant ideas of one of history's most influential inventors, artists, and scientists. The exhibition, "Leonardo da Vinci: The Genius of the Renaissance," brings together more than 40 life-size mechanical models, reconstructed from the Renaissance master's original drawings and notes.
The works were brought to Kazakhstan from museums in Rome and Florence and reproduced using the surviving manuscripts known as the Vinci Manuscripts.
"Leonardo da Vinci wrote more than 20,000 pages of manuscripts during his lifetime; approximately 7,000 of them have survived to this day," says Narima Mukhambetalina, the exhibition's director. "These preserved manuscripts have allowed experts to reconstruct the mechanical devices based on his drawings."
Spanning approximately 3,000 square meters within the Palace of Peace and Harmony, the exhibition is divided into thematic sections dedicated to air, water, earth, and fire.
The layout reflects Leonardo's lifelong fascination with the forces of nature and shows how his observations transformed into engineering solutions centuries ahead of their time.
Highlights include early flying machines, war vehicles, and engineering mechanisms that foreshadowed technologies to be developed centuries later.
Visitors can closely examine the famous avionics screw, considered a precursor to the modern helicopter, and the parachute design, a product of his studies on flight and air resistance.
The exhibition also reveals the inventor's perspective on military technology. One of the most captivating pieces is an armored vehicle inspired by the shape of a tortoise shell.
Leonardo envisioned this machine as a mobile fortress capable of protecting soldiers as they advanced across the battlefield.
Other works demonstrate Leonardo's interest in automation and mechanics. Among these are a self-propelled car, often cited as an early conception of the automobile, and ball bearings, gear systems, and transmission mechanisms that still influence modern engineering.
“The section that surprises visitors the most is usually the fire section, where war machines are displayed,” says guide Dilnaz Zholdaskhanova. “Another area that attracts great interest is the air section, featuring parachutes and air screws.”
Historical models are supported by modern technologies. LED tunnels, digital projections, and holographic installations help visitors visualize Leonardo’s ideas and understand how his inventions worked.
As part of the experience, digitized versions of his most famous works, including the Mona Lisa, are also on display.
According to the organizers, the exhibition is particularly popular with young visitors thanks to its interactive nature; it allows guests to directly touch and interact with many of the works.
The exhibition will be open to visitors at the Palace of Peace and Harmony in Astana until September 30, 2026.
Source: https://tr.euronews.com/kultur/2026/06/11/ronesansin-dahisi-leonardo-da-vinci-sergisi-astanada-acildi