This chapter examines how art museums in Central Asia shape cultural identity through the curation of Soviet, post-Soviet, and local artistic traditions. It highlights three types of institutions: general museums that integrate art into broader historical narratives, monographic museums focused on individual artists, and specialised art museums dedicated to visual traditions. Particular attention is given to the Karakalpakstan State Art Museum in Nukus, which houses avant-garde works censored under Soviet rule alongside Uzbek modernism and Karakalpak folk art. By juxtaposing Russian, Uzbek, and regional traditions, the museum constructs an alternative narrative of Central Asian modernism, challenging Soviet cultural hierarchies and redefining artistic value within national and regional identity.