A TRAVEL GUIDE TO TEHRAN Part I: TOP FIVE
Museums
More and more these
days, Tehran is re-welcoming artists, young and old,
foreign and Iranian to participate in the vast arts programs
in Iran. In the last few years, we have seen some beautiful
new museums being supported and built in this vast metropolis.
The city of Tehran offers hundreds of museums, exhibitions,
and art galleries. In this section, we have covered Tehran's
Top 5 museums. You will also find a partial list of other
Tehran museums that are worth visiting on your next trip.
1. Tehran
Museum of Contemporary Art - Consider it the "The
MOMA of Tehran". Opened in 1997, the museum has
a permanent modern art collection featuring the works
of timeless artists such as Monet, Picasso, Miro, Warhal,
Chagall and many more. Modern art work by famous Iranian
artists are also included in the collection.  This
modern art house also features a fantastic exhibition
space, currently featuring "Pioneers of Iranian
Modern Art: Behjat Sadr, Mansooreh Hosseini".
The building is situated in a vast park, with the addition
of an open-air sculpture park anf gardens. With regular
events showcasing new artists and films, and a full
library and cafe, the museum is a promising venue for
the modern art lover.
You can read more
about the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art on their website.
(Photo: Javad Hamidi's Still Life. Oil on Canvas.
Permanent Collection of TMCA)
2. The Carpet
Museum of Iran - This shrine to the art of
making carpets, should definitely be visited by those
who admire and appreciate the fine and difficult skill
of carpet-making.  Covering
55 distinct regions of carpet-making in Iran, this
museum is probably the most complete of its kind. You
will see many priceless and precious Iranian rugs and
kilims from Tabriz, Kashan, Esfahan, Lorestan, Kerman,
Bakhtiar and many other places. The oldest piece, dating
back over 450 years, is from the Safavid
period. The building of the museum is octagonal-shaped
and climate-controlled for preserving rugs. Because
it only has two floors, your visit will be an enjoyable
and shorter trip for those who are intimidated by larger
museums. The Carpet Museum also features a restoration
shop, training classrooms, theatre, library, cafe,
gift shop and visitor facilities in the main lobbies.
Visit their informative
and extensive website to
learn more. (Photo: Partial Tabrizi Carpet Design, ca.
mid 13th century)
3. The National
Museum of Iran - Perhaps one of the biggest
and oldest museums, the National Musuem of Iran is
home to four impressive collections including a Pre-historic
collection, a coin & seals section, a historic
period exhibit, and an Islamic period collection.  This
includes archaeological relics such as pots, ceramics,
stone figures and carvings dating from all the way
to the 5th millenium B.C. Pieces are displayed from
the ancient city of Persepolis, Rey, Shush and Turang
Tap-peh. The vast park and facilities consist of two
buildings. The first is the Iran Bastan Museum, established
in 1937, and dedicated to the earlier pieces. The second
and most recent addition is the Islamic Period Museum,
added in 1996. Designed by Andre Godar, the museum
has two floors with a lecture room, auditorium, and
library. With numerous on-going exhibitions, gift shop,
and a large staff to service the needs of the public,
this museum will offer an enjoyable and educational
trip for everyone. Your visit may be more interesting
after seeing the local sites of excavation such as
Persepolis and Rey.
To find out more about
the National Museum of Iran, visit their website.
 4. The
Glass & Ceramics Museum - Known as one
of the most nicely organized museums, the Glass and
Ceramics Museum is housed in a beautiful old building
built almost 100 years old by orders of Ahmad Qavam
(Qavam-ol-Saltaneh) as his personal residence and office.
Situated in a Persian garden of 7000 square meters,
it was later sold to the Egyptians as the premises
for the embassy of Egypt. Later it was used by the
Commercial Bank, then by Farah Pahlavi and finally
turned into a museum by groups of Iranian, Austrian
and French architects. The architectural style therefore
is a breathtaking combination of traditional Iranian
and 19th century European architecture. The building
itself is worth the visit. The exterior and interiors
consist of elaborate brick works, hand--carved plaster
works, and old Persian mirror works. With only two
floors, this museum can also be toured in one quick
afternoon.
Visit their website for
more photos and information on this wonderful treasure.
(Photo: Russian-style stairwell, Persian mirror work,
and 19th century European paneling in the main corridor
of the Glass & Ceramics Museum.)
 5. National
Jewels Museum - Housed in the Bank Markazi
(Central Bank) building for safekeeping, this collection
of Jewels is one of the most beautiful and impressive
in the world. The Javaher-e Melli (Nation's Jewels)
are on display providing a great history lesson for
those in need of a quick refresher course. Guides are
available also in English and showcase monumental jewels
which have been collected over centuries such as the
world famous Darya-e Noor diamond. This legendary diamond
is said to have compete with the Crown Jewel's Kooh-e
Noor diamond (right). In addition, you can see royal
jewelry commissioned for the Shah of Iran and the Queen
Farah Diba, as well as jewels of Nader Shah, and pieces
from the Safavid and Qajar dynasties, including the
actual Peacock Throne. Although Persia's jewerly has
lost a great deal of treasure to war and devastation,
the Present collection was constructed in 1955 and
is kept by the Bank-e Markaziye Jomhouri Eslami-ye
Iran.
The Nationals Jewels
Museum of Iran is located at The Central Bank (Bank-e
Markazi) in Ferdosi Avenue.
Tel: +98 21 64463785, 3110101
These five museums
are by far not the only great museums the city of Tehran
has to offer. Here is a partial list of museums which
deserve a closer look:
1. Air Force
Museum Tel: +98 21 9102 Past Azadi Sq., Karaj
Rd., Tehran. Showcasing various real and model aircrafts
2. Azadi Cultural
Complex Tel: +98 21 6023951-5 Azadi Sq., Tehran.
Inside the Azaadi Tower this collection shows art from
pre-Islamic to Qajar period
3. Behzad
Museum in Sa'ad Abaad Palace Sa'ad
Abaad Website. Classical and modern painting by
master Behzad. The palace includes many other museums,
such as the Fine Arts Museum and many other exhibits.
4. Museums
in Golestan Palace Golestan
Website Numerous collections of beautiful carpets
and royal artifacts
5. Coin Bank
Notes Museum Tel: +98 21 877 4745 No. 1, Daman
Afshar St., Mirdamad Blvd., Vali Asr Avenue, Tehran.
Comprised of 1400 coins and 750 bank notes, many from
Iran but from all parts of the world
6. Dr. Hessaby
Museum Hessaby
Website Medals, library, and personal belongings
of Dr. Hessaby, Iranian scientist and researcher
7. Haftchenar
Nature & Wildlife Museum Website Live
birds and fish and stuffed animal specimens
 8. Niavaran
Palace and Museums Website Beautiful
grounds and museums including Jahan Nama (Photo: Gaugin
Self Portrait. Jahan Nama Museum)
9. The Reza
Abbasi Museum Website Samples
of Islamic painting, pottery and jewelery in a stunning
old museum
10. Malek
National Museum Tel: +98 21 6726613, 6726653
Bagh-e Melli potico, Emam Khomaini Sq., Tehran. Built
in 1937, this museum features a traditional Iranian
art collection by Kamal-ol Molk. Includes Persian miniature
paintings, coins, calligraphy, stamps, flag collection,
and ancient Persian carpets.
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