History Museum of Armenia
National collection from prehistory to the modern era
- Area Yerevan
- Type Museum
- Time needed 1h 30m
The History Museum of Armenia holds the national collection, running from Stone Age finds through Urartu and the medieval kingdoms to the twentieth century. It occupies the curved building that closes Republic Square, sharing the entrance with the National Gallery.
Open in the planner →Getting there
On Republic Square in the centre of Yerevan, so no drive from a city base and a short walk from most central hotels.
What you see
The Bronze Age and Urartian rooms are the strongest part: wheeled wooden vehicles from Lchashen, bronze belts and helmets, cuneiform stelae. Upstairs the medieval material covers manuscripts, carved stone, coins and metalwork, and the later rooms deal with the Ottoman and Russian periods and independence. Labelling is bilingual but uneven in depth.
What to pair it with
Easy to combine with the National Gallery upstairs in the same building, and with Erebuni, whose finds are displayed here.
When to go
Allow a morning, and check the closing day before planning around it, as Armenian museums commonly shut one day a week. [VERIFY — confirm current details]
What is hard about it
It is a traditional, case-and-label museum rather than an interactive one, and the sheer density of objects in the early rooms gets tiring. Photography rules and ticketing for temporary exhibitions vary. [VERIFY — confirm current details]
Common questions
How long does it take?
About an hour and a half for a steady pass, or longer if the Urartian and Bronze Age rooms interest you.
Is it the same ticket as the National Gallery?
No. They share a building and entrance but are separate museums with separate admission. [VERIFY — confirm current details]
Is it worth it if I am only in Yerevan two days?
Yes, if you want context for the monasteries and fortresses you will see elsewhere. It is the one museum that ties the rest of the country together.
Nearby
- Yerevan CascadeGiant limestone stairway with modern sculpture and city views
- MatenadaranRepository of ancient Armenian manuscripts
- Republic SquareYerevan's central square with musical fountains
- Erebuni FortressUrartian citadel from 782 BC, the birthplace of Yerevan
- Armenian Genocide MemorialHilltop memorial and museum to the victims of 1915
- National Gallery of ArmeniaThe country's largest art collection, on Republic Square
More of the same kind
- Sergei Parajanov MuseumCollages and films of the visionary director
- Byurakan ObservatorySoviet-era observatory founded by Viktor Ambartsumian