Housed in the historic Qavam House on 30th Tir Street, Tehran, the Glassware and Ceramic Museum of Iran (Abgineh Museum) is the nation’s only museum dedicated to glass and ceramics. With over 2,000 historical artifacts, including glass, pottery, crystal, and enamel pieces, the museum showcases Iran’s rich craftsmanship. Highlights include glass cylinders from the second millennium BC sourced from the Chogha Zanbil Temple in Khuzestan.
Constructed in 1291 AH by Ahmad Qavam (Qavam os-Saltaneh), the mansion later became a museum in the 1950s after serving as the Egyptian Embassy. By 1355, it officially opened as the Glassware and Ceramic Museum of Iran, preserving Iran’s heritage in glass and pottery.
The museum blends Iranian and Western architectural styles. The building includes a basement, ground floor, first floor, and foyer. Inspired by Tachara, Persepolis columns, Zoroaster’s Cube, and Safavid arches, it features Seljuk-inspired brickwork, wooden horseshoe-shaped stairs, and mirrored decorations with religious and revolutionary themes added in 1989.
The museum is organized into five main galleries across two floors:
Enamel Gallery: Ancient glass rods from Chogha Zanbil, second millennium BC
Nacre Gallery: Sassanid era to 13th-century masterpieces of glass and pottery
Gold Gallery: Enameled vessels and inscriptions with poems by Nizami and Ferdowsi
Crystal Gallery: Engraved crystal bottles from the Achaemenid and Parthian periods, Sasanian and post-Islamic dishes
Lapis-Lazuli Galleries: Revived Persian glass and pottery with Chinese and Italian influences
Additional sections include the Hoz’Khaneh, with late Qajar tiles and plaster ceilings, and the library, containing books in Farsi and English on archaeology, history, art, and architecture.
Spring & Summer: 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Autumn & Winter: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
For detailed insights into the architecture and design of the Abgineh Museum, visit the University of Tehran Architecture Faculty page.
