The Carpet Museum of Iran in Tehran is a captivating destination for anyone interested in Persian art and history. Commissioned by Farah Pahlavi in 1977 (1356 SH), the museum displays Iran’s finest hand-woven carpets and rugs. Located beside Laleh Park, it also exhibits related artifacts, highlighting the intricate relationship between carpet makers and the culture around them.
Iranian carpets have a rich history dating back to the Achaemenid and Sassanid periods. Greek historian Xenophon noted in the Cyropaedia that Iranians used carpets to make their floors and beds soft. The Pazyryk rug, discovered in southern Siberia in 1949, is the oldest known carpet in the world (approximately 2,500 years old) and is believed to have been made in Iran during the Achaemenid era.
During the Sassanid period, Iranian wool carpets were highly prized and even exported to China. Legendary carpets like the Baharestan carpet in the White Palace reflected the grandeur of Sassanid kings such as Khosrow Parviz. Post-Islamic literature also frequently praises the beauty and artistry of Persian carpets.
The museum houses around 135 masterpieces, spanning from the 9th century to contemporary works. Exhibits on the ground floor feature carpets from renowned weaving centers, including Kashan, Kerman, Isfahan, Tabriz, Khorasan, and Kurdistan. The museum also features carpets made by the Qashqai tribes.
Notable highlights include:
A Pahlavi-era carpet by Amo-oghli with intricate Afshan designs depicting national figures in military uniforms.
Baysunghur Shahnameh pictorial carpets, illustrating Iran’s myths, literature, culture, and religion.
Region-specific carpets, such as a Herat carpet featuring a realistic fish design, symbolize Mithraic beliefs and cultural motifs unique to Iran.
The Carpet Museum of Iran comprises two exhibition halls, designed to resemble a traditional carpet loom. The ground floor houses the permanent collection, while the upper hall is reserved for temporary exhibitions.
The museum also maintains a library of approximately 3,500 books in Persian, Arabic, French, English, and German, catering to researchers and enthusiasts interested in Persian art, literature, and carpets.
The carpet museum of Iran is open every day except Monday.
Spring & Summer: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Autumn & Winter: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
For official visitor information about the Carpet Museum of Iran, see the Iran Tourism & Touring Organization (ITTO) Page.
