Iranian National Museum
The Iranian Plateau civilization originated from the ancient Elamite kingdom established in the 28th century BC and the later Median kingdom.
The National Museum of Iran (Persian: موزهٔ ملی ایران Mūze-ye Melli-ye Irān) is located in Tehran, Iran, covering an area of 18,000 square meters. It consists of two parts: the Ancient Iranian Museum (Mūze-ye Irān-e Bāstān) and the Islamic Era Iranian Museum (Mūze-ye Dowrān-e Eslāmī), established in 1937 and 1972 respectively. The museum houses approximately 300,000 artifacts dating from ancient and medieval Iran, including pottery, metalwork, textiles, and some rare books and coins.
Architectural layout
Ancient Iranian Museum (South Building)
Built in 1937. Modeled after the palace of Ctesiphon, the capital of the Sasanian dynasty, it is constructed of deep red brick and features an arched entrance. It displays artifacts from before the Islamic era, such as stone arrows dating back 600,000-700,000 years, painted pottery from around 5000 BC, Persepolis reliefs, Darius I's pure gold horn-shaped drinking cup, and the famous "Salt Man."
Islamic Period Museum (East Building)
Built in 1996. A modern four-story building. It displays various artifacts from the Islamic period, including exquisite pottery, textiles, manuscripts, miniature paintings, and precious Yuan and Ming dynasty blue-and-white porcelain.
What cultural collections are Iranian National Museum?
Stone Arrow
Approximately 600,000-700,000 years ago
Unearthed in Khorasan Province in 1974, it is the oldest artifact unearthed in the National Museum of Iran and one of the earliest artifacts in the world, pushing the history of human activity in Iran back to the Paleolithic period.
Painted Pottery Bowl
circa 5000 BC
unearthed in Qazvin. The bowl depicts figures participating in a religious ceremony and is a valuable artifact for studying prehistoric Iranian religious beliefs and social life.
Salt Man of Iran
circa 4th century AD (Sasanian/Parthian period)
Discovered in 1994 at the Cherabad salt mine in Zanjan, his hair, beard, clothing, and even the food in his stomach were remarkably well-preserved due to the natural drying effect of the salt. He provides a unique specimen for the study of ancient Persian social life, diet, and pathology.
Loristan Bronze Artifacts with Animal Motifs
circa 1000 BC
A masterpiece of the nomadic peoples of the Loristan region, renowned for their exquisite animal depictions, showcasing the advanced metalworking skills and unique steppe culture of ancient times.
Darius I Relief/Statue
Achaemenid Dynasty (c. 550-330 BCE)
From Persepolis, inscribed with ancient Persian, Elamite, and other languages, it is a core resource for studying the administration, art, and ideology of the Persian Empire.
These precious artifacts bear witness to the power of the Persian Empire, while others tell stories of daily life. If you are interested in artifacts from a particular period, or would like to learn more about a specific museum, please subscribe to us.