Amazing original Armenia with a long history is the owner of interesting, picturesque and educational places. The country has given the world many legendary cultural figures, including artists, composers, writers and actors. Along with ancient architecture and natural attractions, the museums of Yerevan are of great interest. Cultural institutions provide an excellent opportunity for tourists to appreciate the unique archaeological finds and magnificent works of art. Historical exhibits reflect the richness of the traditions of the Armenian people.

Museum of History of Armenia

On the central square of the capital of Armenia there is a magnificent building, the facade of which is decorated with high arches and massive columns. This is the State Museum of the History of Armenia, founded in 1921. An impressive collection of antiques is on display for all to see. Most of them were found during archaeological excavations.

Artifacts are exhibited in the halls, embodying the rich cultural traditions and values of the Armenian people from ancient times to the present day. Household items, colorful costumes, engraved weapons, jewelry, coins, manuscripts, dishes, sculptures, figurines – all this and many other items form the basis of the exposition.

Of particular interest are royal armor and carpets, majestic four-wheeled wooden chariots and various symbols skillfully carved from stone, samples of gold items and architectural details with relief stucco. Patterned elements of the ornament, requiring painstaking and delicate work of the master, can be seen on the surface of household tools, utensils and jewelry.

Modern Art Museum

The Yerevan Museum of Modern Art has been operating since 1972. It is located on the first floor of a block apartment building. At the time of its opening, it was the first exhibition space in the USSR dedicated to the masterpieces of modern painting and sculpture. Visitors to the institution will discover the diversity of artistic expression of the Armenian masters of the 20th-21st centuries.

Here are collected original exhibits that are imbued with a sense of the absurdity of surrealism. Many paintings, installations and sculptures are filled with a special emotional form. They set you up for philosophical reflection about everyday life, family values and the transience of being. The fantasy world of artists allows the audience to be surprised, puzzled, admired and smiled.

Sergei Parajanov Museum

Guests of Yerevan will be curious to visit the exhibition of the creative heritage of the outstanding outstanding Soviet avant-garde director Sergei Parajanov. He never lived in the capital of Armenia, but left his valuable works of art to her. A master of metaphors and eccentric images woven from contradictions, he made a huge contribution to the world art of cinema.

His riot of fantasies opens up an amazing world of combinations of colorful colors, oriental music, plasticity of movement and poetic words. The collection of personal belongings and works of the master is exhibited in a two-story stone house erected above the gorge of the Hrazdan River, from where a beautiful view of Mount Ararat opens. Collages and sketches for films, paintings and sculptures, figurines and accessories, toys and hats, pieces of furniture and archival documents are stored in the bright and cozy interiors of the rooms.

Each exhibit clearly reflects the extraordinary talent of the director, his view of historical events and personalities. Parajanov skillfully managed to create from a simple trinket a masterpiece of a work of art filled with meaning, sarcasm, humor and originality. The series of collages of the famous Gioconda, whose face expresses various human emotions, is amazing. Visitors can expect a considerable number of unusual installations.

Erebuni Museum

At the foot of the Arin-Berd hill, on which the most powerful citadel of Erebuni towered, there is a historical and archaeological museum complex. It is dedicated to the ancient fortress, from where the foundation of the city of Yerevan originates. The central facade of the exhibition center is lined with red tufa slabs and decorated with bas-reliefs. The two-story building with an area of 1500 m2 presents ancient artifacts discovered as a result of archaeological excavations of the Erebuni citadel.

Among the exhibits you can see stone and adobe statues, edged weapons, samples of cuneiform writing, jewelry, many items made of gold, wood, leather, linen, wool and many other artifacts. Frescoes, seals and mosaics with colorful ornamental elements and images of various episodes from the daily life of the ancestors of the Armenian people deserve attention. Building details, household tools, labor tools and masterfully crafted metal objects are material evidence of the high level of handicraft development in ancient times.

Yerevan History Museum

A visit to the Yerevan History Museum will significantly enrich the cultural program of acquaintance with the capital of Armenia. This is one of the first institutions in the country, where interesting exhibits represent various historical periods of the city, from its foundation to the present. A rich collection of unique artifacts occupies the left wing of the massive City Hall building.

The fund consists of tens of thousands of archaeological, ethnographic and numismatic items that characterize the cultural and spiritual heritage of Yerevan. The most popular are jewelry, musical instruments, dishes, tools, furniture sets, clothes, household utensils, models and photographs of the ancient city.

Ceramic vessels for beer indicate that the Armenians were already brewing this drink in the 7th century BC. It is impossible to pass by the paintings of Armenian artists, the collection of valuable stamps, printing presses and the first film cameras. Traditional festive costumes with the finest lace weaves evoke delight. In one of the halls, the interiors of houses of different classes of society are recreated.

House Museum of Yervand Kochar

Many exhibitions of famous masters of painting and sculpture have been opened in Yerevan. Among the variety of cultural institutions of the capital, tourists should pay attention to the house-museum of Yervand Kochar. The artist was one of the most important figures of avant-garde art at the beginning of the 20th century. He masterfully mastered the technique of creating works of art with cold wax paints, which brought the master world fame and popularity. Paintings, sculptures and graphics, as well as the personal belongings of the master, will appear in all their splendor.

Here you can contemplate such unsurpassed canvases of the artist as “The Horrors of War”, “Melancholy”, “Ecstasy” and many other works. Paintings by Yervand Kochar are quite extraordinary and require reflection. Artistic masterpieces are saturated with bright color accents and surreal elements combined with cubic and voluminous lines.

Armenian Genocide Museum

The genocide of the Armenian people committed by the Ottomans in 1915-1917 is a tragic milestone in the history of Armenia. The victims of the merciless massacre were about one and a half million people. A memorial complex has been erected on one of the green hills of Yerevan, designed to perpetuate the memory of those terrible events. According to the architect's idea, the premises of the two-story building are buried in the ground, so that there is a feeling of being in a tomb.

The exhibition halls, located in a semicircle, are filled with various archival documents, photographs, publications, books and other items. All these exhibits serve as proof that the Armenian genocide was a deliberately organized blasphemous evil. The materials presented in the twilight reveal the plans of the Turkish ruling elite to prepare and carry out the physical extermination of the Armenians. The exposition is designed to remind visitors of the national pain of Armenia and the unjustified cruelty of the real world.

Hovhannes Tumanyan House-Museum

In the center is an interesting house-museum of the famous writer and poet Hovhannes Tumanyan. His fables, ballads, prose, lyrics, fairy tales and poems are masterpieces of Armenian literature. Tourists will be curious to get acquainted with the work of the greatest writer of Armenia.

The two-story building, whose facade is decorated with an elegant three-arched arcade, housed numerous materials. They are connected with the creative work and everyday life of Hovhannes Tumanyan. Manuscripts, personal belongings of the writer, a library and photographic documents are exhibited here. Of interest is the recreated interiors of the living room, study and dining room, where the poet lived and worked.

Museum of Russian Art

A significant place in the artistic world culture is occupied by Russian art, which is widely represented in one of the Yerevan galleries. The ingenious works of painting and graphics of the late 19th century, created by outstanding Russian masters, can be seen in the capital of Armenia. The institution occupies the first floor of one of the residential buildings erected in 1954. An amazing collection of exhibits is striking in its diversity.

The museum fund contains colorful paintings by such painters as V. Serov, M. Vrubel, K. Korovin, M. Nesterov, A. Benois, M. Voloshin, N. Roerich, P. Kuznetsov and many other artists. The dominating cozy atmosphere of the exhibition halls makes the visit not only interesting, but also informative. Portraits, still lifes and landscapes delight with their picturesque colorful and vivid storylines. They combine poetry, aesthetics and sophistication, which gives contemplative pleasure.

Matenadaran

The ancient Armenian word “matenadaran” is translated as a book depository. Yerevan hosts the world's largest collection of unique ancient manuscripts. The collection consists of more than tens of thousands of antiquities. These are manuscripts, early printed books, documents, writings of ancient scientists, fragments of parchments, maps and archival records. The exhibits represent the national written culture, as well as a true treasure trove of the history of the ancient civilizations of the Near and Middle East.

Since ancient times, the people of Armenia have especially revered the word of the book and guarded it like a precious treasure. The book is a source of intelligence, generational wisdom, intellect and good character, which is confirmed by the impressive collection of the Matenadaran museum complex. The exposition is located in a magnificent majestic building, made in the style of medieval architecture. The facade of the monumental building, outwardly resembling an ancient temple, is decorated with sculptures of figures of science and culture of ancient Armenia.

House Museum of Martiros Saryan

The famous Armenian artist Martiros Saryan is called the master of solar art. Tourists can get acquainted with the colorful works of the famous painter in the house-museum. Here, the original atmosphere of the interiors of the workshop and living quarters has been preserved. The two-story mansion houses colorful panels ranging from bulky sizes to miniature sketches.

Numerous paintings filled with magical colorful flowers give viewers a lot of aesthetic pleasure. The colors are so fresh that they become as if tangible. The exposition includes about 300 works, which trace the stages of formation of the master's creative activity. Most of the artistic masterpieces of M. Saryan are dedicated to the unique natural wealth of Armenia.

Gallery visitors can see canvases illustrating the courtyards and streets of the city, architectural monuments, mountain villages, still lifes and portraits. The exposition presents genuine professional items of M. Saryan: palettes, paints, stretchers and brushes. The noble atmosphere of the master's living room consists of original furniture and antiques.

Ararat Museum

The Ararat Brandy Factory invites tourists to get acquainted with the centuries-old traditions of the production of the legendary alcoholic drink. This is one of the man-made symbols of Armenia, which would be an unforgivable mistake to bypass. A small museum exposition is located in the building of a factory built from red Armenian tuff. In the exhibition halls there are many certificates, medals and awards of the highest standard for first-class product quality.

Behind the stained-glass windows on the shelves, there is a collection of impeccable designer, old and new gift bottles of different varieties of cognac. Separate stands place photographic materials testifying to the visit of the enterprise by well-known political leaders, public figures and creative personalities. The exhibit in the form of a stave is wonderfully decorated, thereby emphasizing the complexity of the production process. Of interest is the room filled with oak named barrels. They were poured in honor of the visits of the heads of various states.

House Museum of Aram Khachaturian

The house-museum of the eminent Soviet composer Aram Khachaturian opens its doors to numerous tourists in Yerevan. The official opening of the exhibition took place in 1982. The memory of the famous cultural figure, whose works have left an indelible mark on the history of musical art of the 20th century, is carefully preserved here. Interesting exhibits are located in a memorable building. Its facade is framed by marble arches, symbolically resembling tuning forks.

The spacious halls contain about 18,000 items related to the life and work of Aram Khachaturian. The exposition is based on manuscripts, musical notation, records, family photographs, performance posters, booklets and personal belongings of the composer. Visitors to the exhibition will be curious to see a piano, a conductor's tailcoat and a collection of musical instruments. The shelves are filled with numerous awards and books. The recreated interiors of the office, living room and dining room allow you to feel the atmosphere of the life of a bygone era.

House Museum of Charles Aznavour

The city is famous for its sights, which reflect the richness of the cultural values of the Armenian people. A multifunctional modern five-story exhibition complex dedicated to the famous French chansonnier Charles Aznavour has been erected on the upper tier of the Cascade architectural complex. This house-museum covers an area of more than 1000 square meters. The singer himself was engaged in interior design.

The maestro's personal exclusive items are displayed in light, cozy rooms: books, sound recordings, awards, orders, photographic materials. A pleasant surprise for visitors will be the presence of two concert halls, one of which is located under the open sky.

Museum of Literature and Art. Yeghishe Charents

Unique valuable specimens are stored in the Yerevan Museum of Literature and Art named after the great Armenian poet Yeghishe Charents. Here are collected impressive collections of antiquities related to literary, musical, film production and theatrical art. The time span of the exposition is 300 years. The funds of the institution contain personal archives and things, documents and memoir manuscripts of famous cultural figures of Armenia. The variety of exhibited materials is impressive.

Five exhibition halls are filled with stage accessories, books, musical instruments, photographs, posters, costumes, souvenirs, as well as paintings, sculptures and cartoons. The pride of the collection are literary collections of Armenian writers, playwrights and poets. The oldest exhibit is a manuscript book of songs from the 18th century, which belonged to the poet Sayat-Nova.

Geological Museum of Armenia

In the building of the Institute of Geology there is a permanent exposition of the natural resources of Armenia. Collections of volcanic rocks, specimens of various fossils, as well as the remains of animals and plants printed in travertine are on display for the public to see. Rare stones, minerals, meteorites and minerals reflect the richness of the deep bowels of the Armenian Highlands.

The abundance of breeds of various origins is amazing. Curious tourists can see tuff, granite, marble, basalt, amber, perlite, travertine, gems and many other rock formations. A special place in the exposition is occupied by a prehistoric three-meter skeleton of an elephant. Its age is about 700 thousand years. The presented fossilized samples of shells and corals testify that the waters of the ocean once stretched over Armenia.

Cafesjian Center for the Arts

An interesting arts center is located on the territory of the monumental park and architectural complex “Cascade”. It bears the name of the American philanthropist of Armenian origin Gerard Cafesjian. This amazing art space showcases the diversity of contemporary creativity. The grandiose building in the form of a stepped staircase unites well-groomed green squares, shady alleys, fountains and viewing platforms.

The exposition consists of more than 5,000 art objects, installations and sculptural compositions. Original works of art are exhibited both in outdoor areas and inside the pavilions. Here are collected works of authors from different parts of the world. The presented exhibits are of genuine interest due to their abstract appearance and content.

Going down and up the Cascade, tourists will see the figures of a lion made of car tires, a cat with massive paws, colored shells spinning in the wind, a well-fed gladiator, a blue penguin and many other unusual sculptures. In the recesses of the terraces there are monuments related to the marine theme. In the exhibition halls, furniture items leave special impressions: a butterfly bench, a sofa-lips, a lamp in the form of a lipstick and an armchair.

House Museum of Alexander Spendiaryan

On one of the cozy Armenian streets is the house-museum of the composer, conductor, founder of national symphonic music and author of numerous opera plays – Alexander Spendiaryan. The maestro's personal belongings, musical notes, handwritten notes and photographic materials are exhibited in three rooms of the house. The collection contains more than 1000 items, most of them are private donations from the daughter of the great composer.

Of particular value are musical instruments: piano and violin. Memorial things reflect the glorious creative path of A. Spendiaryan, his relationship with cultural figures of the early 20th century. The halls are equipped with modern displays showing the composer's multi-genre works. With the help of an interactive game, visitors can become virtual conductors of a symphony orchestra.

Museum “Microart of Ter-Ghazaryans”

On the occasion of the 95th anniversary of the birth of the famous brilliant miniaturist Eduard Ter-Ghazaryan, a permanent exhibition of unique microscopic objects has been opened in Yerevan. The sculptures created by the master are literally placed in the eye of a needle. The exposition consists of more than 20 tiny figurines 0.4 mm in size. Using magnifying devices, museum visitors can see a camel caravan made of precious stones, a violin, bouquets of roses, the New York City Statue of Liberty, architectural monuments, cars, sculptures by Charlie Chaplin and Paganini, as well as portraits of many famous personalities.

The most curious exhibit is a miniature TV showing wrestlers in motion. The museum fund includes a collection of caricatures and several musical instruments created by a versatile master. The film will tell the audience about the phenomenal talents of Ter-Ghazaryan.

Museum-Institute named after Komitas

The first newly created cultural institution of independent Armenia is the museum-institute named after the composer and performer of national folklore Vardapet Komitas. He devoted his creative way to the processing of Armenian folk songs, which he collected while traveling through villages and villages. Exhibition pavilions are equipped with modern technologies that allow visitors to follow the creative activity of the musician.

The institution operates a research center engaged in the study, dissemination and development of the musical heritage of V. Komitas. The museum complex consists of eight halls with a permanent exhibition, a concert venue, a library, a printing house and a recording studio. Among the exhibits are personal items, household items, manuscripts, documents and other evidence of the life of an outstanding musicologist of the early 20th century.