Baku is the capital of Azerbaijan and the largest city in the Caucasus. Sometimes this place is called "second Dubai." Hundreds of thousands of tourists come here every year to enjoy the mild climate, national color, interesting sights and the leisurely pace of local life.
The city has a rich history and culture, which is preserved in the museums of Baku.
National Museum of the History of Azerbaijan
In the capital of the Azerbaijan Republic is the main museum of the country, which began its work in 1920. It reflects the entire history of Azerbaijan from the most ancient times to the present day.
This Baku museum is divided into six departments. Three of them are devoted to a certain period of history (from the most ancient times to the Middle Ages, new and modern), and three more - to numismatics, ethnography and scientific excursions. You can also visit the library, which contains various books about the Caucasus and the East as a whole.
The total number of exhibits stored here is about 300 thousand. Most of them are coins of various eras - in the numismatic vault there are 150 thousand copies. You can also see weapons and ammunition, precious metals, rare books and other artifacts. Unfortunately, in general, only a small part of all available exhibits is exhibited in the exposition - about 20 thousand. The remaining items are under restoration or cannot be shown to the audience for any other reasons.
The Museum of History of Azerbaijan is located at ul. Tagiyev, 4. Hours - from 11 to 18 hours. Ticket price - 5 manat, which in translation into Russian currency is 225 rubles.
National Museum of Art of Azerbaijan
The Museum of Art in Baku is the largest art museum in the whole country. It was founded in 1936, and is currently located in two old buildings dating from the late 19th century, located at ul. Niyazi, 9/11.
The institution includes 60 halls, in which several thousand exhibits are collected. Half of the total number of rooms is occupied by the works of national artists of the country, and the remaining 30 rooms contain paintings, sculptures and other products of Russian, European, Turkish, Japanese artists.
This Baku museum is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on all days of the week, except Mondays. Entrance ticket costs 10 manats (about 340 rubles).
Heydar Aliyev Center
Another popular museum in Baku is the Heydar Aliyev Center, named after one of the presidents of Azerbaijan.
It includes a congress center, exhibition halls, administrative offices. Despite the fact that the building was built relatively recently, in 2012, it has already managed to become a real symbol of Baku.
In the exhibition halls, exhibits such as national costumes of Azerbaijan, musical instruments, various products from clay, copper and other materials are presented. Popular with visitors are models of the country's buildings, historical and cultural monuments of different times. All 45 models were created for the Mini-Azerbaijan project and executed with amazing accuracy.
Of particular interest is the Aliyev Museum in Baku, also located in the center. Here you can see photos and videos from the life of Heydar Aliyev, his workplace, find out information about his activities as president of Azerbaijan. The museum occupies three floors and, like all other premises of the Center, has an original and unique design.
The center is located on Heydar Aliyev Avenue, 1. Opening hours - from Tuesday to Friday from 11 to 19 hours, on weekends - from 11 to 18 hours. Ticket price is 15 manats (550 rubles).
Museum of Modern Art in Baku
This museum has existed relatively recently, since 2009. It was opened on the initiative of Mehriban Aliyeva, the first lady of Azerbaijan.
The museum has an atmosphere of freedom and the absence of any framework. The architecture of the building itself reflects this principle: there are no sharp corners, but there are open passages and walls inclined at different angles to the floor.
The Museum of Modern Art demonstrates to its visitors both the works of national avant-garde artists and the works of the great world famous artists - Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, Salvador Dali and others.
The museum is located at ul. Yusif Safarov, 5 and is open for visits from 11 to 20 hours on all days of the week, with the exception of Monday. Entrance ticket for an adult will cost 5 manats (180 rubles), for a student - 2 manats (70 rubles).
Baku Museum of Miniature Books
Since 2002, a unique museum has been operating in the capital of Azerbaijan, which, as its name implies, presents books in miniature format.
The total number of all exhibits is 7.5 thousand books. Most of them are a personal collection of Zarifa Salakhova, the sister of Tarif Salakhov, an Azerbaijani artist, teacher and professor.
Each of the books stored in the museum fits comfortably in the palm of your hand. The size of most of the publications presented is approximately 1 centimeter. Also here you can see the book, recognized as the smallest in the whole world - the size of 2 by 2 millimeters.
The Museum of Miniature Books is located on Castle Street. The landmark is the Maiden Tower. The facility is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The entrance is free.