Detail of a carpet, Carpet Museum of Iran, Tehran, Iran. Author and Copyright Marco Ramerini

The Carpet Museum of Iran in Tehran

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The art of carpet weaving is undoubtedly one of the best known works of Iranian craftsmanship and art. This type of art has been practiced in Iran since the Bronze Age. In fact, according to the most recent studies, the art of weaving in Iran is at least 3500 years old. Iran is the world’s largest manufacturer and exporter of handmade carpets. In fact, in this country about three quarters of the total world production of handmade carpets are produced. The beauty and excellent reputation of Persian carpets are qualities well known all over the world and in the Carpet Museum of Iran interesting carpets from every region of Iran are exhibited.

Tehran is home to the most important carpet museum in all of Iran. The Carpet Museum of Iran is housed in an architecturally modern building, built between 1976 and 1978 to a design by Iran’s last empress, Farah Diba Pahlavi. The building in its shape resembles a loom for weaving carpets and was inaugurated on February 11, 1978. The museum, located in the central area of the city of Tehran, is located in the northwestern part of the vast Laleh park (Pârk-e Laleh).

Carpet Museum of Iran, Tehran, Iran. Author and Copyright Marco Ramerini

Persian rugs. Author and Copyright Marco Ramerini — Carpets, Tehran, Iran. Author and Copyright Marco Ramerini

THE COLLECTION OF PERSIAN CARPETS

The museum displays a variety of Persian rugs – dated between the 18th and 20th centuries – from all over Iran. The exhibition halls of the museum occupy approximately 3,400 square meters divided into two exhibition galleries. The ground floor gallery displays the museum’s permanent carpet collections. There are examples of wonderful carpets from all over the country, as well as a demonstration of how a carpet is worked on the loom and dyeing samples. The gallery on the upper floor is used for temporary exhibitions. Inside the museum there is also a well-stocked library which contains about 7,000 books dedicated to the art and history of the carpet.

The museum is open between 9 and 17 every day of the year (in summer and spring it closes at 18). The museum is always closed on Mondays and during religious holidays. The costs of the entrance ticket are 25,000 Rials for foreign tourists and 2,500 Rials for Iranians. Photographs are allowed inside the museum without flash.