History Museum of Armenia

About this place

The History Museum of Armenia is the country's national museum, on Republic Square in the heart of Yerevan. Its national collection of about 400,000 objects spans archaeology, coins, ethnography and modern history, and it is the best place to begin understanding Armenia's past before heading out to its sites. The National Assembly decided to found it on 9 September 1919, and it opened to visitors on 20 August 1921 under its first director, Yervand Lalayan. It changed names several times during the 20th century before settling on its present one. Coins make up 45 percent of the collection and archaeology 35 percent, and the museum has published excavation reports since 1948. The archaeology rooms run from prehistory to the Middle Ages. Among the best known pieces are a leather shoe from Areni cave dating to about 3500 BC and wooden wagons from the Bronze Age. Other sections cover costume, crafts and daily life, along with coins, maps and documents. It is 1.2 km in a straight line from both Gum Market and the Parajanov Museum, so one walk can link them. Allow an hour or two, and consider a guided tour for a deeper understanding. It also makes a good choice when the heat or cold outside is at its worst.