In Kazakhstan, the capital city of Astana is hosting a major exhibition dedicated to one of history's greatest minds. Featuring flying machines, military devices and ingenious mechanical inventions, the exhibition takes visitors into the remarkable world of Leonardo da Vinci through an immersive experience that blends science, art and technology.
Until 30 September 2026, the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation in Astana is presenting Leonardo da Vinci: Genius of the Renaissance. This spectacular exhibition brings together more than 40 full-scale mechanical models, reconstructed from the Italian master's original drawings and codices, offering visitors a vivid insight into some of Leonardo da Vinci's most visionary inventions.
Leonardo da Vinci: the ultimate Renaissance polymath
An iconic figure of the Renaissance, Leonardo da Vinci perfectly embodies the ideal of the Renaissance man. Born in Tuscany in 1452, he excelled as a painter, engineer, anatomist, architect and inventor, driven by an insatiable curiosity about how the world worked.
His notebooks, known as the Codices, contain more than 20,000 pages of sketches, observations and notes exploring subjects ranging from flight and hydraulics to mechanics and human anatomy. Although only around 7,000 pages have survived, they reveal the extraordinary scope of a mind constantly striving to push beyond the limits of its time. It is from these remarkable documents that the exhibition's models have been faithfully reconstructed.
An immersive exhibition exploring machines, nature and innovation
Spread across almost 3,000 square metres, Leonardo da Vinci: Genius of the Renaissance is organised around the four classical elements — air, water, earth and fire. Each section highlights the way Leonardo observed the natural world and transformed those observations into technical solutions that remain astonishingly modern.
Among the exhibition's highlights is the famous aerial screw, widely regarded as a precursor to the helicopter, alongside a parachute designed to investigate air resistance. Military engineering also features prominently, including an armoured vehicle inspired by a tortoise shell and conceived as a mobile fortress for the battlefield.
Other exhibits demonstrate Leonardo's fascination with mechanics and automation, from a self-propelled cart that anticipated the principles of the modern motor car to sophisticated systems of gears and transmission that continue to influence engineering today.
An interactive journey combining history and modern technology
To make these groundbreaking ideas easier to understand, the exhibition makes extensive use of contemporary technology. LED tunnels, digital projections and holographic installations bring Leonardo's inventions to life, allowing visitors to see how many of his concepts would have worked in practice, despite often remaining theoretical during his lifetime.
Digital reproductions of some of his most celebrated artworks, including the Mona Lisa, complete the experience and highlight the artistic dimension of his genius. This immersive approach is particularly popular with younger visitors, who can interact with the displays and discover Leonardo's inventions through engaging, hands-on experiences.
By combining historical accuracy with spectacular presentation, the exhibition offers a unique opportunity to step inside the mind of one of history's greatest innovators, whose ideas continue to inspire science, engineering and creativity more than five centuries later.
Leonardo da Vinci: Genius of the Renaissance
Until 30 September 2026
Palace of Peace and Reconciliation
57 Tauelsizdik Avenue
Astana 010000
Kazakhstan
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/PwYC3vDZ7Po
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