Look ahead-right in front of you stands a grand, two-story building with pale golden stone, tall windows, and elegant columns lining the entrance. Notice the decorative sculptures up near the rooftop and the unique dome with a spire rising at the center. If you spot a mansion that looks like it came out of a fairy tale about artists and old royals, you’re in the right place! This is the National Art Museum of Azerbaijan.
Now, as you stand in front of these impressive doors, imagine the quiet buzz of anticipation echoing inside. This museum, founded in 1936, is Baku’s treasure chest-holding over 15,000 artworks, everything from ancient ceramic bowls decorated with mysterious symbols, to shimmering gold-embroidered velvet hats, to paintings that span centuries.
The museum is housed in two 19th-century buildings, and one used to be the home of a wealthy oil baron. And trust me, in Baku, oil barons didn't know how to do things halfway! The outside is grand, but inside is where things get colorful. Over 3,000 items are permanently on display in 60 rooms, but just imagine-there are 12,000 more in storage. It’s like a never-ending game of hide and seek with art.
You’ll find ancient lamps and glazed tiles from the Seljuq era, pieces of a 13th-century castle, and books so old they almost whisper secrets when you walk past them. For a taste of drama, in 1993, works were stolen right from the museum-thankfully, they were recovered, so nothing is missing from this tale.
Rustam Mustafayev, the Azerbaijani theater artist for whom the museum is named, would love how lively and creative this place remains. Each exhibit is filled with color, from glowing gold embroidery-made with real gold thread-to costumes, jewelry, and carpets that dazzle visitors. The hats, or "arakhchins," and “arkhaligs” are decorated with petals and stars… if you wore one to your local grocery store, you’d definitely turn heads.
This place doesn’t just celebrate Azerbaijani art, either. There’s stunning work from across Europe and the East-France and Germany to Japan and Egypt. If you listen closely, maybe you’ll hear the shuffle of feet from artists who traveled the Silk Road. Even the museum’s library is a treasure trove-nearly 9,000 books and rare editions on everything from miniature painting to the secrets of astronomy.
So, if you get lost in these halls, don’t worry-it just means you’re exploring Baku’s entire artistic history, all under one roof. And let’s be honest, if you try on all the embroidered hats, we won’t judge.
If you're keen on discovering more about the collection, architecture or the the collection of antique and medieval art of azerbaijan, head down to the chat section and engage with me.
