Museums and galleries in Yerevan

Museums and galleries in Yerevan

1. See

   Aram Khachaturyan House Museum

   The home of late composer Aram Khachaturyan (1903-1978) has been turned into a museum. Things like his manuscripts and piano are on display here, and the building also has a concert hall.

2. See

   Armenian Genocide Memorial (Genocide Museum & Tsitsernakaberd Monument)

   Ցեղասպանության զոհերի հուշարձան

   An austere monument & museum commemorating the victims of the Armenian Genocide. The permanent collection documents the 19th C community, then its ruthless destruction circa 1915 at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. Tsitsernakaberd (meaning "Fortress of Swallows") is probably best reached by taxi. Walking from town, follow Athens St past the Hrazdan Stadium to Brazil Square roundabout, where a little lane branches north up the hill.

   Monument always open, museum Tue-Sun 11:00-16:00·Free

3. See

   Armenian Railways Museum

   Museum of Railway Transport of Armenia

   Presents the history of the Armenian railway, from 1895. Exhibits are labelled in Armenian and Russian, but not English. Several large exhibits are in an adjacent garden, accessible from the museum. A steam locomotive and carriage stand in the station, and are accessed by crossing the tracks at the Yerevan end of the platforms.

   Closed Mondays·Free

4. See

   Cafesjian Museum of Modern Art

   Cafesjian Centre for the Arts

   A modern art museum, housing the collection of Gerard Cafesjian. It has Arshile Gorky, Andy Warhol, Marc Chagall and other big names on display. The collection is very rich in Glass Art, has many pieces of the Libenský-Brychtová couple, including specially made 'For Armenia' series. Special galleries display monumental tryptichons or reliefs focusing on Armenian history. Entry can be made at any level, but information desk, shop, study center and facilities are at the bottom. In front of the cascades, there is a sculpture park with some Boteros and other plastics.

   Escalators gallery daily 08:00-20:00; special galleries Fri-Sun 10:00-20:00·Free

5. See

   Cascades, Sculpture Park and Cafesjian Museum

   Cafesjian Centre for the Arts

   The Sculpture Park is a small green zone in the immediate North of the Opera. Sculptures from Botero and other artists of international fame decorate the park. The park is part of Cafesjian Museum - the Armenian version of Guggenheim. The main part of the museum is in the Cascades - an Art Deco version of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon stretching nearly the height of the Empire State Building. It's a massive white stairway up a hillside of central Yerevan, decorated with green stretches, fountains and waterfalls. Higher level of the Cascades give a spectacular view of Mount Ararat and panorama of central Yerevan with its hilariously multi-colour roofs. The first floor and the bookstore of the museum as well as the indoor escalators to the top of the Cascades are free of charge.

   Tue-Thu 10:00-17:00, Fri-Sun 10:00-20:00·Adults 1,000 dram, children under 12 - free

6. Do

   Climb the Cascades

   (or - before 20:00 - take the escalators inside the art gallery, stepping outside at each level) one evening for the great views of the city and Mt. Ararat, then head across the street to the amusement park inside Victory Park for some cotton candy and a ride on the rickety Ferris wheel.

7. See

   Eduard Isabekyan Gallery

   Small but good art museum, commemorating the eponymous artist. Housed in an interesting round building in Brutalist style.

   500 dram

8. See

   Erebuni Fortress

   The excavations, recreations and museum of the nearly 3,000-year-old fortress that established Yerevan. Fairly well- (and maybe the best-) preserved fortress of Urartian Period in Armenia.

   1,000 dram

9. See

   Erebuni Museum of History

   Էրեբունու թանգարան

   The museum stands at the foot of the Arin Berd hill, on top of which the Urartian Fortress Erebouni has stood since 782 BCE. The City-Fortress was excavated, some parts of the structure were reinforced and restored, and the fortress was turned into an outdoor museum. The city was built by Argishti I the King of Urartu in 782 BCE. The temple of God Khaldi occupied an important place in the fortress. The walls of the temple were decorated with numerous frescos. The museum houses 12,235 exhibits. It has two branches in Shengavit and Karmir Blur with 5,288 and 1,620 exhibits respectively in stock.

   Tue-Sun 10:30-16:30·1,000 dram for museum and site; 500 dram for site only. Tour in foreign language 2,500 dram

10. See

    History Museum of Armenia

    A roundup of the nation's history from early settlements to the 20th century. Lots of archaeological exhibits and pieces of art give an impression of each period. If you would like to move along the timeline then start at the top of the building. The early periods are amply annotated, but the English (and Russian) tags thin out considerably by mid-19th century, reappear in the exhibit dedicated to the Great Catastrophe of 1915 (though it's very disturbing even without a single word), and are missing completely for the Soviet era, so if you're interested in the more modern history of the country and don't speak Armenian, a guided tour may be advisable. A "strictly no photography" policy applies. As of October 2022, the majority of the exhibition is under renovation and according to staff, this will hopefully be finished in 2023. For this time, the price is reduced to 1,000 dram.

    Tue-Sat 11:00-18:00, Sun 11:00-17:00·2,000 dram, usual discounts apply

11. See

    Hovhannes Tumanyan Museum

    Dedicated to renowned prominent thinker, writer, poet, fabulist and humanist Hovhannes Toumanian, with 18,000 exhibited items. Rooms of the Apartment are: Study Room, Guest Room, Dining Room, Children’s Room, Nvard Toumanian’s Room, Balcony, Olga’s Room,

12. See

    Martiros Saryan House-Museum

    If you are a lover of bright colours and enjoy Impressionist art then the House Museum of Martiros Saryan is a place for you. It's a 3-floor structure, designed by the artist and built during his lifetime, both as his home and a house for his heritage after his death.

    Fri-Wed 11:00-18:00·1,000 dram. Tour in Russian, English, French 2,500 dram

13. See

    Modern Art Museum of Yerevan

    Houses quite a selection of contemporary art by mostly Armenian artists. On the opposite side of the street, there is the newly opened HayArt cultural center as well as the Eduard Isabekyan Gallery.

    Tue-Sun 11:00-18:00·1,500 dram

14. See

    Museum of Woodwork

    Houses some artifacts of Armenian historical wood carving culture (doors, furniture and the like), and wood-based sculptures by modern day artists.

15. See

    Parajanov Museum

    The House-Museum of Sergei Parajanov, a famous Soviet film director. The museum is best known for special Parajanov collages and art that everybody loves and enjoys. It is equally highly appreciated by children, teenagers and the most demanding art critics. Many highest level official informal meetings are conducted here. It is a must-see!

    Daily 10:00-17:30·1,000 dram (audio guide 2,000, real guide 5,000 dram)

16. See

    Republic Square

    Armenian: Հանրապետության Հրապարակ Russian: Площадь Республики

    The city's main square is a grand example of Soviet public architecture. The early buildings (the Houses of Government, the Ministry of Communications and the Marriott Hotel) are Neo-Classical with Armenian hints. The later buildings (the Foreign Ministry and Art Gallery) are Modernist imitations. Within the square, the Singing Fountains perform most evenings April-Oct, dancing and frothing to classical and contemporary music. In Oct 2018 the city mourned the passing of Charles Aznavour with impromptu shrines, images and sound tracks here and elsewhere: the Singing Fountains danced pretty much the same to his best-known tunes as they'd previously done to Rossini's or Sinatra's.

17. See

    Soviet Club

    Combination museum and restaurant with numerous Soviet-era household exhibits - cars, appliances, arcade games, and posters. Visitors can actually play the arcade games, dance to 1970s/1980s music, and enjoy food and drink from the era.

    Tue-Sun, 5PM - midnight·2000 AMD

18. See

    The Ararat Cognac Factory

    Ararat Wine Brandy Vodka Factory Museum

    The oldest factory in Armenia. Offers tours and tasting, but the people there are very uptight and the place is overrun by tourists.

    Tour 3,500/5,000 dram without/with tasting

19. See

    The National Art Gallery

    Founded in 1921, the Gallery preserves more than 42,000 works of Armenian and international fine art and decorative-applied arts. Its collections include masterpieces by world-renowned artists such as Hovhannes Aivazovsky, Vardges Sureniants, Arshile Gorky, Marc Chagall, Wassily Kandinsky, Donatello, Tintoretto, and many others. The Gallery also preservs unique fragments of medieval Armenian church frescoes from Armenia and Armenian cultural centers abroad. Features several floors full of mostly paintings, organized by their country of origin. The Armenian collection is the best and of very high quality, the Russian is quite good, and art lovers will enjoy the European collection as well.

    Tue-Sat 11:00-18:00, Sun 11:00-17:00·1,500 dram

20. See

    The Yerevan History Museum

    Presents all periods of the life in Yerevan starting from paleolithic settlements (50,000 years) to modern days. Ancient maps and the pictures of the lost city, pre-Soviet Erivan, are of special interest. Lift and sloping floors for people who use wheelchairs.

    Mon–Sat 11:00–17:30·400 dram. Tour in Russian, English, French, German 3,000 dram

21. See

    Yerevan City Hall

    The city's administration is housed in this massive five-story building. Construction started during Soviet times, was halted in 1991 for over a decade and the building was finally completed in 2004. The Yerevan History Museum is attached to it.

22. Do Not mapped

    Catch a concert

    on the Cascades or the Lover's Park, and an art exhibition at Swan Lake park or Lover's Park.

23. See

    Ervand Kochar Museum

    Yervand Kotchar Museum

    Small museum dedicated to the eponymous sculptor and artist.

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Yerevan (CC BY-SA 4.0).