National Museum of Iran

The National Museum of Iran in Tehran is the country’s principal museum for archaeology and art history, presenting material culture from prehistoric times through the Islamic era. The complex consists of the older Museum of Ancient Iran and a later building dedicated to Islamic-period collections.

Exhibits include major archaeological finds such as Achaemenid reliefs and objects, Parthian and Sassanian works, as well as Islamic-era ceramics, metalwork and calligraphic arts. The two-building arrangement allows visitors to follow Iran’s lengthy cultural chronology in sequence.

The Museum of Ancient Iran was constructed in the 1930s and the Museum of the Islamic Era was completed in the early 1970s, providing expanded gallery space for later-period material. The institution has long served as Iran’s central repository for archaeological research and public display.

The National Museum of Iran is located in central Tehran, south of the historic palace district, and is accessible from major city thoroughfares.

• Dual-building complex: Comprised of two principal buildings that present Iran's material history from prehistoric eras through Islamic periods, with strong displays of Achaemenid, Parthian and Sassanian artifacts.

What to See #

• Museum of Ancient Iran: The Museum of Ancient Iran, the older building, houses archaeological collections spanning Paleolithic times through the late pre-Islamic eras and was completed in the 1930s.
• Museum of the Islamic Era: The Museum of the Islamic Era, a separate adjacent building opened in the 1970s, is dedicated to Islamic-period art and archaeology and connects to earlier collections.