Samarkand State Historical-Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve

The Museum – reserve is a kind of open-air museums, which, in addition to an extensive exposition, combines architectural, natural and historical monuments important for the preservation of the historical, cultural and natural heritage of the country.

The history of the museum begins more than a century ago, when in 1874 an amateur museum was opened in Samarkand, later abolished by the Turkestan Governor-General M. Chernyaev. However, in 1896, the Samarkand Regional Static Committee reopened the museum, which was located in one of the rooms of the house at St. George's Church in the city and was called the “Museum of the Samarkand Static Committee". The founders and initiators of this project were famous archaeologists Leon Barshchevsky and Vasily Vyatkin. Leon Barshchevsky was a famous researcher of the culture of the peoples of Central Asia, a topographer, geologist and colonel of the army of the Russian Empire. Vasily Vyatkin, an archaeologist, historian and orientalist, became the first director of the museum, who made a great contribution to its development, primarily by achieving the construction of a new building for the museum.

The museum located in the new museum building has been renamed several times. So, in 1911 it was the Samarkand City Museum. In 1930 – the State Central Museum of Uzbekistan. In 1960 – the State Museum of the History of Culture and Art of the Uzbek SSR named after A. Ikramov. In 1982, the Samarkand State United Historical, Architectural and Art Museum Reserve was established on the basis of the museum. 

Today, the Samarkand Museum-Reserve combines 8 museums, 6 historical monuments and 2 shrines. Among the museums here are: the State Museum of the History of Culture of Uzbekistan, the Samarkand Regional Museum of Local Lore, the Museum of the foundation of the city of Samarkand on the settlement of Afrasiab, the Museum of the History of the Pakhtacha district, the Museum of the History of the Ishtyaryk district, the Sadriddin Aini Memorial House Museum, the Kattakurgan City Museum of Local Lore and the Mirzo-Ulugbek museum complex.

Historical monuments unite the Amir Timur Cathedral Mosque (Bibi Khanum Mosque), Abu Mansur Maturidi Mausoleum, Khoja Donier Mausoleum, Gur-Emir (Amir Timur Mausoleum), Hazrat Khizr Mosque and Nodir divan begi Madrasah.

The shrines of the museum-reserve are united by the shrine of Chor Chinor in Urgut and the shrine of Hazrati Dovud in Samarkand.

The museum's fund is represented by more than 211 thousand exhibits. 800 thousand visitors visit the museum's facilities annually, and more than 20 exhibitions are organized in the exhibition halls of museums. The permanent staff of the museum-reserve consists of 269 people, of whom 56 are scientific staff.

The main activity of the museum is the collection of historical exhibits, their study and preservation. The Museum actively conducts scientific work and the constant publication of its results. In addition, the museum is engaged in the preparation, organization and holding of exhibitions, as well as joint work with international colleagues.