Afrasiab Museum of Samarkand Museum

Address: Afrasiab Musey, Samarkand, Uzbekistan (near the archaeological site on the northern outskirts)

Hours: Daily 9:00am-6:00pm

Admission: UZS 4,000-8,000 (museum ticket range varies; concessions sometimes available)

The Afrasiab Museum of Samarkand is a museum and site museum built at the Afrasiab archaeological mound on the northern edge of Samarkand, Uzbekistan, dedicated to the ancient city of Afrasiab. It presents material from archaeological excavations, including early medieval wall paintings and artefacts.

Exhibition halls display fragments of richly painted Sogdian murals, ceramic and numismatic finds and explanatory displays about the layout and history of ancient Afrasiab. The displays focus on the pre-Islamic and early Islamic phases of the city and the archaeological evidence recovered at the mound.

The museum was established to house and interpret the finds recovered during 20th-century excavations of the Afrasiab site, where remains of the early medieval Sogdian capital were exposed. Important mural fragments discovered in the mid-20th century form a central part of the collection.

The museum complex stands on the northern outskirts of modern Samarkand at the Afrasiab archaeological mound, a short distance from the city centre and other Samarkand historical sites.

• 7th-century murals: The museum houses fragments of early medieval Sogdian murals discovered at the Afrasiab archaeological mound, notably scenes dated to the 7th century.

What to See#

• Mural and archaeology galleries: Display galleries with fragments of Sogdian wall paintings from the 7th century and archaeological finds from the Afrasiab excavations.

Afrasiab is on the northern edge of Samarkand, about 6-7 km from Registan Square. Taxis and local buses connect downtown Samarkand to the site; many visitors take a short taxi ride (15-20 minutes).

• Audio guides or a guidebook are helpful to interpret the surviving Afrasiab murals and the stratigraphy of the site.
• Visit the nearby Registan and other Samarkand landmarks on the same day to compare Timurid-era urban layers with Afrasiab's older city remains.
• Bring sunscreen and water-excavation yards offer little shade.