Named after one of the great artists of the Safavid period, this museum showcases Iranian art from ancient times and the Safavid-era paintings of Abbasi himself. If you’re interested in Iranian art, it’s one of the best and most professionally run museums in the country. It’s a bit of a walk from the nearest metro, so perhaps take a taxi.
The exhibits are organised chronologically starting with the top-floor Pre-Islamic Gallery, where you’ll find Achaemenid gold bowls, drinking vessels, armlets and decorative pieces, often with exquisite carvings of bulls and rams. Here, too, you’ll find fine examples of Luristan bronzes.
The Islamic Gallery exhibits ceramics, fabrics and brassware, while the Painting Gallery shows samples of fine calligraphy from ancient Qurans and illustrated manuscripts, particularly copies of Ferdowsi’s Shahnamah and Sa’di’s Golestan.
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