The Open-air Museum (Ship Graveyard) was formed on the site of former Muynak Port. Rusted, neglected and forlorn fishing vessels and barges that were furrowing the Aral Sea surface in the past are now forever frozen at the bottom of a formerly magnificent stormy sea.
The history of the city of Muynak, founded in the 1930s in the northern part of Karakalpakstan, is closely linked to the fishing industry. Formerly it was located on the shore of the Aral Sea, but today Muynak is hundreds of kilometres away from the sea. The city was famous not only as the largest fishery in Central Asia, but also for its beautiful and picturesque beaches and recreational facilities for children. Today this place is known as Aralkum – the third largest desert area.
The Open-air Museum (Ship Graveyard) now has hardly more than 10 ships. In the past there were more than 100.