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Abgineh Museum. Photo By Mehrnaz Shapouri –

Top 10 Outstanding Facts about The Glassware And Ceramic Museum

The Glassware and Ceramic Museum is found in Si Tir Street, Tehran. It goes by the local name of Abginen Museum. It is a collective of glassware dating back from the 1^st millennium BC to the contemporary era.  The ceramics are from the 4^th  millennium BC era to present-day Iran.

Though the museum was opened in 1989, the building in which it stands is over 90 years old. Initially, the building was the private residence of Ahmad Qavan, the prime Minister of Tehran. It was later converted into a commercial bank before being made into a historical museum.

The artifacts are found in the two-story octagonal building. It has 6 halls spread out over two floors. The other buildings in the complex have pottery and ceramic classrooms, a gift shop, and a library with over 4,000 books!

The Museum has held the status of National Heritage since 1998. It receives over 2 million annual visits from both domestic and international tourists.  

1. Each Of The Six Halls Contain Artifacts From Different Civilizations

Abgineh Museum. Photo By Behrad Moudi –

Each of the six halls has a different conceptual design based on the artifacts within it. The Bolour, Mina, and San-I Basar-i Hall are found on the first floor of the museum while the Sadaf, Zarrin, and Lajvard Halls are found on the second.

Bolour (Crystal) Hall has glass and crystal objects from the pre and early Islamic Eras. Mina (Enamel) Hall displays perfume bottles and jewelry from Valehaye and Dasht-e Ghazvin. San-I Basar-i (Audio Visual) Hall is a representation of an actual excavation site.

The two Lajevard Halls have items from Safavid Dynasty and ceramics with Niello brush designs. The Zarrin(Golden shades) Hall has special enameled ceramic with inscriptions from Iranian poets.

2. The Glassware and Ceramic Museum Showcases The Literature Works Of Ferdowsi Tusi

“On the occasion of the Millenium of the most eminent of the all Persian poets, Ferdowsi. Photo By Ministry of Education Iran –

The second Lajevard Hall has a ceramic table that features samples of poems from Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh. The Shahnameh was an epic that was written by Hakim Abul-Qaim Mansur (Ferdowsi Tusi).

The book is a collection of legend tales of Iranian kings from primordial time to the 7^th century. The stories rejuvenated the pride of Iranian culture and made Ferdowsi a national hero.

The ceramic table has 9 pieces and is painted in the Ghahveh Khaneh-ee style. Tourists who visit the museum get to see Ferdowsi’s literature pieces on display.

3. It was Repurposed Thrice Before It Became A Museum

In the 1920s, Ahmad Qavan put up his residential home in Tehran. He had been the Prime Minister of Tehran for a cumulation of 5 years and made the building his home for 3 decades.

The structure was converted into the Embassy of Egypt for 7 years and later on the Embassy of Afghanistan. The relationship between Iran and Egypt became strenuous and this led to the closure of the embassy.

The building served as the Bazargani Bank before it was sold to Farah Pahlavi’s Bureau in 1976. Groups of architects from Iran, Austria, and France renovated it, and in 1980, it was officially opened as a museum.

4. The Glassware And Ceramic Museum Is An Informational Centre For Glass Cutting And Excavation

Not only does the museum show an extensive display of glass and clay works but also the history of excavation and archaeology. The first hall of the museum is dedicated to audiovisuals on how archaeologists dig out historical sites to uncover ancient masterpieces.

The Hall also has a map of the Iranian plateau highlighting its historical sites. The calendar on the wall of the hall shows the dates of ancient civilizations in Iran.

5. The Prehistoric Graves Found In The Sam-I Basar-i Hall Were Reconstructed As A Form Of Historical Preservation

During the modernization of the museum, graves of the prehistoric inhabitants of Tehran were rebuilt. Aside from religious stories, prehistoric graves are considered time capsules and are used by archaeologists when collecting antiques.  

Ancient history has it that once one died, they would be buried with their possessions.  This made the graves a treasure trove of unique and different pieces throughout historic eras.

6 . The Museum Has Workshops That Teach Pottery And Ceramic Classes To the Public

Pottery class. Photo By Oleg Mityukhin –

Glassware and Pottery flourished in Iran during the Middle Ages. Samples of Elamites, embossed designs, and kiln-decorated glass vessels are showcased in the Nacre gallery of the museum.  

The Glassware and Ceramic Museum offers public classes in ceramics and pottery. The classrooms are found in the two-story building on the Northern side of the museum.

7. The Building Structure Used 50 Different Types of Brickworks

The Glassware and Ceramic Museum is often used as an example of ancient brickwork when defining the history of houses in Tehran. Historical old houses in the city traced to the Qajar and Pahlavi Eras when bricks were the most commonly used construction material.

The museum uses different styles of brick borrowed from Seljuk. From the exterior, the floral patterns on the brickworks show the implementation of attention to detail.

8. The Glassware and Ceramic Museum Is A Fusion of Multi-Architectural Designs

Russian Designed Staircase of The Glassware and Ceramic Museum. Photo By reibai –

The design and structure of the museum are a blend of multiple architectural styles. From the Persian columns of Persepolis and Pasargadae to the Western wall plasters, the Russian-designed staircase, and the Seljuk brick wall the museum does not fall short of amazing designs.

9. It Has A Sound Treasury Discovered By Han Hollein

The Glassware and Ceramic Museum is home to ancient phonograph records. One of the Museum’s architects, Han Hollein, was the source of these collectibles.

These records contain 200 different music albums! The records are yet to be converted into audio files.

10. The Pitcher In The Glassware and Ceramic Museum Is Proof Of The Pre-existence of The Symbol Of The Cross Before Christianity

The Pitcher With Cross Pattern is the most contentious piece in the museum. The controversy is brought about by the fact that the pitcher is said to have existed to the birth of Jesus.

This signifies that the cross had another symbolic meaning other than Christianity. There has been no definitive proof of why or when the symbol was used.