Cultural Heritage Agency comments on the situation surrounding the Alisher Navoi Museum of Literature

Social media reports claimed the building of the Alisher Navoi State Museum of Literature had allegedly been secretly transferred to another organization and that the heritage site faced risk of damage. On October 16, Uzbekistan's Cultural Heritage Agency said it had conducted a review: the building at 69 Navoi Street is listed in the national register of cultural heritage sites and was transferred to the State Youth Theatre under operational management by government decision.

tafs uz editorial deskFirst published on tafs uz 17 October 2026 at 17:562 min readAI translation

The key facts

The museum of literature building is included in the national list of cultural heritage sites and is under state protection
According to the agency, the building was transferred to the State Youth Theatre under operational management by a government resolution
The agency asserts that a change of user does not alter the site's protected status or the obligations to preserve it

Reason for the review

Social media spread reports that the building of the Alisher Navoi State Museum of Literature had allegedly been mysteriously transferred to another organization and that there was a risk of damage to the cultural heritage site. In connection with these publications, the Cultural Heritage Agency reported on October 16 that it had examined the situation.

Status of the building

According to the agency, the building at the address: Tashkent, Shaykhantahur district, Alisher Navoi Street, 69, is included in the national list of tangible cultural heritage sites and has been placed under state protection. By a government decision, it was transferred free of charge to the State Youth Theatre under the right of operational management.

The agency's position

The agency's comment states that transferring the site to another user 'does not at all change its status as a cultural heritage site.' Under Article 24 of the law 'On the Protection and Use of Cultural Heritage Sites,' regardless of who is the user or owner of a tangible cultural heritage site, the obligation remains to preserve its exterior and interior appearance in accordance with the protection details entered in the site's passport. A change of user, in the agency's wording, does not cancel the legal obligations but places them on the new user — the theatre.

Reasons for the transfer

The agency noted that the site was historically and architecturally built as the 'building of the Russian Theatre for Young Spectators,' and that the State Youth Theatre has already operated for many years in part of this complex. The reason for transferring the building to the theatre by government decision (KhDFU) was cited as the desire to preserve the complex as a single cultural-theatrical complex and to create conditions for the theatre's expanded needs — rehearsal halls, dressing rooms and scenery workshops.

Transfer procedure

According to the agency, under legislation, the assignment of real estate of tangible cultural heritage owned by the state under the right of operational management or the right of free use is carried out on the basis of a resolution of the President or the Cabinet of Ministers. In Kun.uz's publication, the text of the comment breaks off at a phrase stating that the building, despite its inclusion in the list of heritage sites — the source does not provide the continuation of the text.