National Museum of Tajikistan

The collection features works of painting, sculpture, and graphic art; samples of flora and fauna; mineralogical collections; and significant monuments of archaeology, ethnography, script, numismatics, and fragments of outstanding architectural structures. Among the museum’s treasures are masterpieces of Tajik traditional decorative-applied arts from the 19th–20th centuries, and unique archaeological finds from the Neolithic and Bronze Ages through the medieval period.
Of particular value is the museum's numismatic collection, which includes pre-Islamic coins (Greco-Bactrian, Kushan, Sassanid, Bukhar-Khudat) and Islamic-period coins (Arab, Samanid, Karakhanid, Seljuk, Khwarazmian, Timurid, and Manghit). The museum also has a rich collection of epigraphic monuments, featuring inscriptions in Greek, Pahlavi, Sogdian, and Arabic. Chronologically, the museum’s collection spans from the 3rd millennium BCE to the early 21st century.
Among the most valuable and unique exhibits are a terracotta sculpture from Sogdiana (mid-1st millennium BCE), a collection of material culture artifacts from the Sogdian fortress on Mount Mug (8th century CE), the carved wooden Iskandarian mihrab (11th–12th centuries CE), a golden crown and gold coins of the Kushan kings (1st–2nd centuries CE), and the famous Sogdian frescoes of Panjakent (6th–8th centuries CE).
The decorative-applied arts section is particularly captivating, showcasing clay toys and finely crafted knives from Istaravshan, wooden ornamented plates from Kanibadam, brightly embroidered covers and dancers’ costumes from Kulob, colorful woolen socks of the Pamiri people, traditional musical instruments, women’s jewelry, and elements of traditional Tajik home interiors.
The museum regularly organizes exhibitions of artwork from its own collections, hosts international photo exhibitions, and participates in various temporary exhibitions throughout Tajikistan. It conducts guided tours and lectures for schoolchildren and students, and offers professional development courses for museum staff across the country. The museum actively develops projects on restoration, preservation, and documentation of collections in collaboration with various international organizations and foundations.