Near and Middle East

The museum’s collections on the culture of the peoples of Iran, Afghanistan, Turkey and Arabian countries are diverse and beautiful. Materials of the exhibitions show the monuments of Islamic culture, which are particularly important for the population of the region, including manuscript and printed copies of the Koran, accessories for reading and writing, and attributes of the “Mokharram” Shiite mystery. Among the weapon items are cool steel, an old helmet, a shield, and parts of the costume of a Bedouin horseman.

Along with traditional and dress clothing, and domestic utensils, the exhibition has musical instruments, folk theatre dolls, a wedding curtain, and jewellery.

The hall shows magnificent silks from the offerings of the Emirs of Bukhara to the Romanov imperial family, decorative art of Central Asia, and also several particularly striking domestic items of the peoples of North Africa.