Samarkand Museums, Art Galleries and Craft Centers

Afrosiyob Museum of Foundation of Samarkand

Out of dozen of museums located in Samarkand Afrosiyob Museum of Foundation of Samarkand, International Museum of Peace and Solidarity, Memorial Museum of Mirzo Ulugbek located next to the observatory of the outstanding scholar, are the most popular.

Most museums are located in the heart of the city, and it is easy to visit all of them at once when you are in Samarkand.

Samarkand is one of the most ancient cities of the world. The earliest reference to Samarkand is found in the evidences of contemporaries and participants of Alexander the Great’s conquests: back in 329 BC the city was known to them as Marakanda. Numerous archaeological finds made in Samarkand indicate that people have been living here for thousands of years BC.

In Samarkand museums you will find ancient artifacts: old coins, jewelry, household items, ceramics, frescoes, and even primitive tools, which are the essence of a number of collections of museums in Samarkand. The only one in CIS International Museum of Solidarity and Peace with its unique exhibits - the wishes of peace and personal photos of celebrities, Memorial Museum of Uzbek poet Sadriddin Ayni, Regional Museum of Local Lore,etc arealso located here.

Significant place in the cultural life of the city is occupied by different art galleries and craft centers, displaying the works of modern masters of the East. Their exhibitions showcase paintings, sculptures, items of wood, clay and metal, many of which can be bought right there. The arts centers and art galleries of Samarkand are as interesting as the traditional museums.