Iran Wildlife and Nature Museum (DarAbaad Meusum)
The Dar Abad Museum of Nature and Wildlife is a vital resource for exploring and preserving natural heritage. It’s located at the beginning of the Dar Abad area and is one of the most comprehensive centers for learning about Iran’s natural species and wildlife. The museum spans 2,500 square meters and is situated on 12,000 square meters of land. The rise in interest in human and natural history, including wildlife, has led to the emergence of natural history museums. Our country is home to diverse and unique species of wildlife, plants, and animals due to its large size, folds, low and high altitudes, and special climatic conditions. The museum offers training in sciences like plant keeping and taxidermy. It’s remarkable for its display of living animal parts such as birds, reptiles, amphibians, aquatic animals, and mammals, particularly big cats. The non-living part of the museum features the rare type of skin of the extinct Mazandaran tiger, and its skin samples have been sent to America for genetic analysis, in compliance with CITES regulations. Additionally, the museum displays two examples of the rarest and most beautiful endangered mammals, the Iranian zebra and the Asian cheetah.
History
The museum was initially incomplete and owned by a member of the Pahlavi family. In 1372 SH (1993), the Tehran Municipality purchased the building and conducted numerous renovations on it. Shortly after that, the museum was established as the Iran Wildlife and Nature Museum.
Salon of North Species of Iran
The left section of the museum features a variety of species that can be found in the northwestern region of Iran, including Armenian rams, deer, Alborz mountain rams, roe deer, Eurasian eagle owls, ring-necked pheasants, and flamingos. Additionally, visitors can view belugas that measure over four meters in length and forest species that are native to northern Iran. The northeast species of urial can also be found in this section, along with taxidermy birds.
Salon of center and south species of Iran
As you step into the museum, you’ll come across two of the rarest mammals found in Iran: the onager and the Asiatic cheetah. Sadly, both are at a high risk of extinction. If you look up, you’ll notice the presence of the Eurasian griffon vulture, a type of vulture. This hall showcases the distribution of animal species in the central and southern parts of Iran. You’ll find displays of mammals like caracals, jackals, foxes, and hyenas, as well as various reptiles such as European glass lizards, snakes, and other lizards.
Salon of Aquatics and Reptiles
This salon showcases living reptiles and fish. In the aquatic section, you can observe a diverse collection of freshwater and saltwater fish from Asia, Africa, South America, and the Persian Gulf. Their vibrant colors and graceful movements make them a sight to behold. In the reptile section, you’ll find a range of venomous and semi-venomous snakes, including species found in Iran. Additionally, the hall features taxidermy displays of reptiles and aquatic animals.
Salon of European, Asian, and North American Specimens
Europe and North America are home to various mammal species, such as moose (the largest deer in the world), chamois, European yellow deer, North American brown bears, and Siberian tigers. Meanwhile, in the Middle and East Asian section, visitors can see Indian and Sri Lankan peacocks, Bengal tigers, and other selected animals from Asia, including the python (the longest snake in the world from the boas family). Additionally, Europe and Asia share some bird species.
The Butterflies Salon
The museum area has a northern hall dedicated to showcasing both native and non-native insect species, including butterflies, various types of spiders, scorpions, and tarantulas. The museum is divided into eight main areas based on animal geography, each showcasing different animal species.
Salon of African Specimens
In this hall, you can find various African mammals and birds on display. As you enter, you’ll see horns and skulls from African wild cattle, as well as tusks from African elephants, black rhinoceros, African wild dogs, and African leopards.
Geology Section
Welcome to this section where you can explore various geological eras through schematics and dioramas. Here, you will find a diverse collection of minerals and stones that are utilized in construction and medicine. Each diorama showcases the animal and plant life coordinates along with an overall view of Earth’s history during that period. You can also marvel at the display of several stones, some of which date back over a billion years.
The Botanical Salon
The Botanical Salon of Dar Abad Museum has 600 plant species from different regions of the country. This hall is divided according to phytogeography (plant geography) and includes the Hyrcania, the Iran-Turani, and the Persian Gulf-Omani region.
The Taxidermy Workshop
At the taxidermy workshop, attendees will gain knowledge of the techniques for preserving and maintaining deceased animals. This will include the creation of dioramas that imitate the natural habitats of the taxidermy creatures. The workshop will cover various animals, such as birds, mammals, reptiles, and insects.
The Museum Library
The museum has a dual purpose of providing entertainment and advancing education and research in the field of wildlife. To achieve this, the museum has established faculties in all relevant fields and specialties. It aims to become a scientific research base and reference. The library is home to a vast collection of books and documents on zoology, geology, botany, geography, and environmental topics, which further strengthens the museum’s mission.
Recreational parts of Dar Abad Nature and Wildlife Museum:
6D Cinema
This cinema with 40 seats is located in the Salon of Asia, Europe, and North America Specimens. This cinema is equipped with a system for creating effects such as shaking, hitting, moving left and right, splashing water and blowing wind in the audience’s faces, and making insects or mice move under the audience’s feet.
Human Park
This park in Asia is renowned for being the complete human body park. Visitors can explore the wonders of the human body on a large scale.
Dr. Land
This facility resembles a hospital specifically designed for children, complete with all the necessary departments. It caters to children aged between 4 and 14 years. Upon donning medical attire, the children are taken on a tour of the various hospital departments. Upon completion, they are awarded certificates.
Roya Park
Roya Park is a fascinating destination that can mess with your mind in the best way possible. There are 100 art pieces on display here, including the Magic Carpet that you can sit on and the opportunity to snap a picture with Arash The Archer. Your imagination and inventiveness in photography are key to making the most of your visit. As a final touch, you can even print your favorite shots on t-shirts and mugs for a keepsake.
Dar Abad Observatory
The observatory in Tehran is a unique museum in Iran dedicated to meteorites. It is also a state-of-the-art solar observatory where visitors can observe the sun during the day and other celestial bodies, including the moon and planets, at night.
Visiting hours: The museum’s visiting hours differ depending on the time of year. From January to June, it is open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. From July to December, it is open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
