Unique museums in Armenia

Join us as we take a closer look at some of the most interesting, unconventional, and often overlooked museums throughout Armenia!

Tumanyan Matchbox Label Museum 

Along the scenic road from Yerevan to Tbilisi, you'll pass through the village of Tumanyan. This is a great area for eco-tourism. It’s also home to the unique Matchbox Label Museum! 

In the past, labels adorned matchboxes, featuring everything from artwork to advertisements to public service announcements. Established in 2021, the museum's collection now boasts over 8,000 labels from around the world. See if you can find some from your home country!
 

Admission is free, and the museum is open from 2 to 6 pm, Tuesday through Sunday. Guided tours are available. For more information, visit the museum's Facebook page here. 

Cobweb Art Gallery

Even if you hate spiders, you’ll love the one-of-a-kind cobweb art gallery. And just in case you think this museum has a fanciful name, think again. The artwork there features actual cobwebs, and Andranik Avetisyan is the only artist in the world who creates works of art out of them.

Located in Gyumri – Armenia’s cultural capital – this museum is open daily from 11 am to 8 pm. Learn more at the gallery’s Facebook page here. 

Museums of Illusions 

Things are not what they seem at Gyumri’s Museum of Illusions. Get ready to twist your brain with a 30-minute guided tour of the tricks of light and proportion. Kids love this mind-bending space! Keep in mind – it’s best to come in a group, as you need at least two people to complete some of the optical illusions.

Plan your visit through the museum’s facebook page here.

Science & Technology Museum 

Come explore the scientific and technological contributions of the Armenian people at this fascinating museum! Here you can explore more than one hundred products for household and industrial use – including a model of the ROT-54 radio-optical telescope – that were invented in Armenia or once manufactured in local factories.

Currently, the museum places a significant focus on computing. You'll encounter exhibits showcasing early desktop computers and fragments of mainframes, spotlighting the pioneering work of the Yerevan Institute of Microelectronics.

For visitors' convenience, informational materials are provided in English, Russian, and Armenian. The Yerevan-based museum welcomes guests from 11 am to 6 pm on weekdays. Admission is free. You can find more information at the museum’s Facebook page here. 
 

Qamancha Museum

One of the traditional instruments of Armenia and Persia, the stringed qamancha shines as the star of this museum. Located in Ashtarak, about 30 minutes outside of Yerevan, the Qamacha Museum is the only one of its kind. Here, you can explore a collection of the instruments and participate in a master class on making and playing them.

Tickets can be purchased for 5000 AMD, with a half-price discount for children under 16. Admission to the museum includes a 30-minute concert. Learn more here.

State Wood-Carving Museum

Come explore the tradition of Armenian wood-carving through the centuries! Here, you can find intricately carved wooden tools, doors, furniture, musical instruments, and so much more.

Opened in 1977 in downtown Yerevan, the museum was established through donations from collectors and enriched over time with acquired pieces. Visitors are welcome from 11 am to 5 pm on every day but Monday.

Bread Museum 

Nestled in the village of Panik within Armenia's Shirak region lies a museum dedicated to something that Armenians cherish as a part of every meal: bread. In our culture, the phrase "Let's eat!" translates directly to "Let's eat bread" (հաց ուտենք).

Originally established in the 1960s, this museum experienced intermittent closures during the Soviet era before its revitalization in 2018. Alongside exhibits showcasing grain processing tools and various types of bread (made from barley, potato, wheat and more), visitors can also explore a collection of household items intimately connected to the people of Panik and their way of life.
 

House-Museum of Sergey Merkurov 

Hailing from Gyumri and educated at the University of Zurich and Munich Art Academy, the 20th-century activist and sculptor Sergey Merkurov created over 300 death masks within a span of just 45 years. These masks memorialized the exact facial features of a diverse array of figures including artists, writers, politicians, and military leaders.

In 1984, the Merkurov House-Museum was established in the sculptor’s home town of Gyumri. Visitors to the museum can explore a collection of over 70 death masks crafted by the master himself.
 

Railway Museum of Armenia 

The Armenian Railway Museum is located in the building of Yerevan Railway Station. Immerse yourself in the history of trains as you journey through time at this museum. Spanning from 1896 to the present day, the exhibition unfolds across 10 panels, each detailing a distinct era in railroad history. Visitors can explore the museum Tuesday - Friday, from 9 am to 3 pm. Admission is free. 

Valer Nazaretyan Mini Museum 
Located on Gyumri’s Independence Square, this museum showcases the miniature models of artist Valer Nazaretyan. Included in the line-up are intricate, fist-sized (or smaller!) instruments, including a piano, drum, duduk and record player. Amazingly, it is actually possible to play music on these mini wonders! Adults must pay 500 AMD to enter the museum. Students and school groups pay a reduced price of 300 AMD. 

The Visitor Centre of the Armenian Central Bank 

This museum (really more like an educational visitor centre) is all about money! Actually, it’s located directly within the historic premises of the Central Bank. The space features 24 static displays and two interactive zones, including a laboratory for examining currency, an automated teller machine, multimedia games, and informative films covering topics such as the national currency's history and the Central Bank's role in financial stability. Visitors may explore from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm on weekdays. Tours are free of charge. Learn more at the Centre’s Facebook page here.

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Be sure to visit these captivating museums and discover the stories they have to tell!