Located in the western part of Tulip Park in Tehran. The Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art (TMoCA) houses an impressive collection of modern art treasures from the post-World War II era up to the 1980s, featuring works from outside Europe and North America. The permanent collection includes over 4,000 valuable works, with nearly 400 pieces of exceptional significance, representing movements such as abstract expressionism, pop art, minimalism, conceptualism, and photorealism.
The idea of creating a contemporary art museum was proposed during the reign of Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi. Architect and painter Kamran Diba, cousin of Farah Pahlavi, conceptualized the museum to showcase both Iranian and international modern art. Diba and his team developed a unique architectural design that blends modern principles with traditional Iranian elements.
The Shahbanu Special Office entrusted Diba with the construction, which cost over $7.2 million for the building alone. Although the proposal had been made years earlier, construction began only after the national planning and budget organization allocated funds. The museum was completed in 1977 (1356 in the Iranian calendar) and is now internationally recognized as TMoCA.
TMoCA’s design merges traditional Iranian architectural concepts with modernist elements. Constructed over nine years using stone and concrete, the exterior draws inspiration from windbreaks in Iran’s desert regions. The museum has two main entrances, providing easy access for visitors.
The museum’s collection, valued at approximately $2.5 billion, was primarily amassed during the 1970s under the guidance of Farah Pahlavi. Highlights include works by:
Western masters: Gauguin, Renoir, Picasso, Magritte, Ernst, Pollock, Warhol, Levitt, Giacometti
Iranian contemporary artists: Sohrab Sepehri and others
The museum features nine galleries—three for storing valuable pieces and six open to the public. Outdoor grounds include sculptures and works by international artists, including René Magritte’s famous piece “Therapist”.
TMoCA also houses a library of over 5,000 volumes, covering architecture, painting, design, visual communication, photography, and cinema, offering a rich resource for researchers and art enthusiasts.
Spring & Summer (First Half of the Year): 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Autumn & Winter (Second Half of the Year): 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
For more detailed information about the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art and its collection, you can visit the official TMoCA website.
