The Museums of Dushanbe
The National Museum of Tajikistan
The museum exposition is quite extensive and is available in 22 rooms on three floors.
Familiarity with the museum exhibits begins with a map of historical monuments of Tajikistan, which are located on the territory of the republic, and with more than 2,000 copies, as well as artistically made a diorama of the Stone Age, which reflects the work of primitive man. Furthermore the department of ancient history and the middle Ages - the largest department of the museum, nature, department of Modern and Contemporary History, Department of Fine and Applied Arts are presented in detail.
You can also visit the Buddhist monastery Ajina-Tepa, see the copy of a statue of Buddha in nirvana (the original is kept in the National Museum of Antiquities), the Holy Quran in the XV., Lithographic edition of the XIX century in the building of the National Museum. Here you can also see Ferdowsi's "Shahnameh", a marble bowl of Sarazm IV – III millennium BC. And more than hundreds of other historical and archaeological artifacts are kept there.
In addition, the National Museum of Tajikistan regularly organizes exhibitions of paintings from its own funds, receives foreign photo exhibitions and participates in a variety of temporary exhibitions throughout Tajikistan. The museum organizes sightseeing tours and lectures for schoolchildren and students, refresher courses for employees of museums of the country. Over the years, the museum takes part in the World Day of museums and on 18th of May "Night at the Museum" is organized where different cultural, entertaining and educational programs for all age groups, including children are presented.
Address: Ismail Samani Avenue, 11. Hours: Monday is a day off; Tuesday to-Saturday from 10:00 to 17:00; Sunday from 11:00 to 16:00. The excursions are organized in advance, the available languages - Tajik, Russian, English, Arabic, Hindi, Urdu. Paid entrance.
National Museum of Antiquities of Tajikistan
National Museum of Antiquities is one of the most visited museums in Dushanbe
The fundamental exposition of the museum consists of materials accumulated over sixty years of works of archaeological expedition of the Institute of History, Archeology and Ethnography of A. Donish and Tajik Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tajikistan. Its collection includes about five thousand unique ceramic samples of stone, metal and glass, jewelry, household items, sculpture and painting. Here there is also a Gold Room, which holds the rarities of gold and numismatic collection, numbering several tens of thousands of coins of gold, silver, bronze and copper.
The murals of ancient Penjikent (V-VIII cc.) which is represented in the museum came in the golden fund of world culture. The jewel in this collection is a harpist image, which has repeatedly exhibited in the most famous museums in the world. No less interesting wall paintings of palaces, temples and monasteries of other regions of Tajikistan: Bunjikat, Ajina Teppa, Kalai Kafirnigan and Hulbuk.
Also the survey and thematic excursions are organized for tourists, school children and students. The museum participates in the international exhibitions. And the Buddhists from all over the world make a pilgrimage to one of the most spectacular atractions - a "Buddha in nirvana" - almost 13-meter-high statue made of clay, which is considered by far the largest ancient Buddhist monument in the world.
Address: st. Academicians Rajabov`s 7. Opening hours: Mon - day off; Tues-Fri 10:00-17: 00; Sat - 10:00 - 16:00, Sun 10:00 - 14:00. Tours are in English, Russian and Tajik languages. Paid entrance.
Museum of Musical Instruments of Gurminj Zavkibekov
This is a private museum, registered as a national NGO in Tajikistan, was founded in 1990 by the National Artist of Tajikistan Gurminj Zavkibekov on the basis of his personal collection of musical instruments, with more than 200 exhibits brought from all over Asia.
The talented actor, thoroughly gifted person, Gurminj Zavkibekov started his collection from an early age. Some of the exhibits he played himself, the other kept as a friendly memory. One of these gifts was the violin of the XVII century, which he didn’t want even to sell to the famous Italian actor Michele Placido, who arrived to Dushanbe on the shooting of his film. He handed this heritage over to his son Ikbol.
There are strings and wind instruments, and bow and percussion instruments in the museum. The largest collections of stringed instruments are Setar, rubob, Dutar, banjo, tanbur.
There is alsoa household and the clothing department in the museum. Some of the items which are exhibited here date to 300 to 500 years back. These are silver plate, bronze jugs, pottery, and garments of Tajiks.
The museum created a folk and pop-ethnographic ensemble, which now the son of Gurminj Zavkibekov-Ikbol Zavkibekov is undertaking.
The Museum of Musical Instruments of Gurminj in Dushanbe was awarded with the Aga Khan Award in the field of music in the "Preservation, revitalization and promotion" in 2019.
Address: 1st Street. Shota Rustaveli, 8.
Memorial house-museum of Sadriddin Aini
The memorial house-museum of Sadriddin Aini was founded in 1978 in honor of the 100th anniversary of the classic and the founder of the Tajik Soviet literature.
It was renovated two times since its opening. A complete restoration was carried out in 2018. It is located in a private house, where the writer lived for some time from 1951 to 1954, until his death.
The houses-museum consists of several rooms, which is thematically divided into three sections, the pre-revolutionary part of the writer's life, during the formation of his personality in the Soviet era and his later years in Dushanbe, where he worked at the Academy of Sciences of the Republic.
Among the many personal belongings of the writer which are preserved in the museum is the sesquicentennial inkwell that Aini`s father made by hand for his son has a particular interest.
Address: Hamza Hakimzoda Street 1. Opening hours: From Tuesday to Friday - 10:00 - 16:00, Saturday: 10:00 - 14:00.
House-museum of Mirzo Tursunzoda
The literary memorial museum was established in 1981 in honor of the 70th anniversary of the famous writer and public figure of Tajikistan Mirzo Tursunzade at the initiative of his family and with the support of the Government of Tajikistan.
The permanent exhibition of the museum is kept in a private house of Mirzo Tursunzade, where the living room and office are preserved like its previous setting. The museum informs the conditions of life and work of the great Tajik writer, as well as narrates about the cultural life of Dushanbe in the middle of the XX century. There is a special room built near the memorial house-museum, an exposition about the life and work of Mirzo Tursunzade and his diverse activities to promote peace. One of the important parts of the museum is the collection of the library and the personal archives of Mirzo Tursunzade.
Address: Mirzo Tursunzoda st. 164. Open hours: from 9.00 to 16.00. Weekends - Saturday and Sunday. Excursions are in Tajik and Russian languages.
Literary-memorial museum-house of Abulkasim Lohuti
The literary-memorial museum-house of Abulkasim Lohuti is a bright personality museum with a dramatic story, the author of a poem, the text of which became the anthem of the Tajik SSR. The museum-house of Abulkasim Lohuti is located in a five-room apartment in the center of Dushanbe, where the poet lived in the Soviet years.
There are a number of exhibition materials in the museum which tell about the stages of the life and work of the great poet: photos of Sattarkhan rebellion in Iran, objects and images that form the first steps of the young poet in the struggle against the oppression of the authorities. The copies of the magazine "Pars" has preserved, which 1918-1919 was published by the poet himself and where his revolutionary views and participation in the struggle are described. The revolutionary poems in the collection of "Javonii Lohuti" and many others are possible to see in the museum.
Address: Istravshan Street 4.
Museum of Musical Culture named after Ziyodullo Shahidi
The museum of Musical Culture named after Ziyodullo Shahidi was organized first in his house where he lived and worked for many years in 1989. Ziyodullo Shahidi is the founder of modern Tajik music, the author of many popular songs and the first symphonic and operatic works. The purpose of creation is the preservation and development of the Tajik musical culture in all its diversity.
The museum of Musical Culture is known for his activism. In particular, it permanently organized musical evenings at the crossroads of cultures: the Tajik-Indian, Tajik-Turkish, Tajik, English, Tajik-Norwegian, etc. In addition, the museum often hosts seminars and conferences on the theme "Peace through music." On the basis of the museum also operates The International Culture Foundation also operates on the basis of the museum named after Ziyodullo Shahidi.
Address: Loik Sherali street 108.
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