Forbidden Souvenirs — What You Cannot Take Out of Kyrgyzstan

Guidelines for Buying Souvenirs in Kyrgyzstan

Before buying a souvenir, make sure it’s legal to take home. Kyrgyzstan protects its cultural heritage, and the export of many historical or natural items is strictly prohibited.

Items You Cannot Export

• Items protected by the state and listed as cultural heritage
• Objects stored in museums, archives, or public collections
• Artefacts linked to history, archaeology, or famous historical figures
• Parts of architectural or artistic monuments
• Anything found during archaeological digs
• Icons and religious items made before the mid-19th century
• Unique objects over 50 years old made of gold, platinum, or precious stones

Items Requiring Special Permission to Export

• Paintings, sculptures, drawings, and artistic works over 50 years old
• Miniatures and decorative folk art older than 50 years
• Rare stones, old coins, stamps, medals, orders, and badges
• Antique weapons (over 50 years old)
• Old scientific instruments, furniture, books, clothing, musical instruments
• Ethnographic objects and natural collections (zoological, botanical, mineralogical, paleontological)
• Archival documents or rare printed editions

When in doubt, don’t buy. Choose local crafts made today by Kyrgyz artisans to support the community and avoid legal trouble.