Safely secluded from prying eyes, the Khan's beauties would while away their days within the gilded cage of the Kunya Ark harem. This was the main residence of the Khan's female entourage until Allah Kuli Khan built the Tosh Hauli Palace in the 1830's. However Mohammed Rakhim Khan II (Feruz Khan) preferred the Ark Harem to the Tosh Hauli and in the 1870's had the harem renovated and put to use again.
Without the spectacular tiles of the Tosh Hauli, the Ark harem contains a series of aywans with understated and tastefully decorated ceilings. Today it houses the Museum Central Office as well as the Director of the Ichan Kala's office. While it's not officially open to the public, nobody seems to mind the odd tourist wandering around. Ironically, with less attention paid to restoration and more focus on creating a productive garden, this harem seems much more akin to its original state then the manicured perfection of the tourist showpiece in the Tosh Hauli.