I think that one of the problems with modern museums is that they try to evoke some kind of mysterious atmosphere: in poorly-lit rooms, you can see only a couple of objects lying there, beautifully spotlighted, just looking mysterious. The illumination allows you to look at it from one point of view, but not from other angles. Photography is almost impossible. In other words, you cannot study the objects.
I get the impression that museums are now leaving this cul-de-sac, and return to decent displays. The Archaeological Museum of Tehran has never succumbed to ill-directed aestheticism, and this makes it, easily, one of the better museums dedicated to ancient culture.
This does not mean that there are no beautiful objects. The first part, dedicated to the Neolithicum and Bronze Ages, culminates in the pottery from Susa, which is just splendid. Recently, this part has been redesigned; several objects from the important excavations at Jiroft have been inserted, to name but one change.
The museum has a treasury that contains precious objects, made of silver and gold, but it is often closed. Asking for permission to get there is futile. In this aspect, the Tehran Museum suffers from the same error as western museums: it creates obstacles for students. I think this is inexcusable. There is simply no reason why a museum should hide its entire collection from people who have made an effort to get there.
This being said, the Tehran museum is really something special. Next to it is the museum of Islamic Art, which has not been open for quite some time; I remember that I liked it very much. Around the corner you will find the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, situated in a building that is inspired by the Persepolis Apadana; and around another corner, you will find a charming museum dedicated to fine art made of glass. If you have only one day in Tehran, spend it in this part of the city.
This museum was visited in 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014.
Persepolis, Apadana, Northern Stairs, Central Relief, Guard, "Apple"
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Tepe sialk, Jar from the fourth millennium BCE, decorated with ibexes
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Iranian Azerbaijan, Stone weight
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Persepolis, Palace of Darius, Doorknob with inscription DPi
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Choga Zanbil, Inner Court, Statue of a cow
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Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject hlhdy (OP. Gandâra = Gandara)
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Bahram IV
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Persepolis, Apadana, Dog's head
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Grey ware from Khurvin
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Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject pltiiw3 (OP. Parthava = Parthia)
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Yazdgard I
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Tepe Hesar, Figurine
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Susa, Inscription A2Sb
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Persepolis, Apadana, Inscription XPg
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Susa, Hellenistic portrait of a Muse
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Susa, Statue of Darius the Great, Base with sema-tawy (front)
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Susa, Inscription A2Sd
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Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject 3Sw3l (Assyria)
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Hamadan, Sasanian dish
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Tepe Hisar, Late Bronze Age phial
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Hamadan, Achaemenid cup with relief of a winged lion
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Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject spltj3 (OP. Sparda = Lydia)
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Persepolis, Apadana, Northern Stairs, Central Relief (Proskynesis scene)
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Persepolis, Apadana, Northern Stairs, Central Relief, Great Magian
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Hamadan, Achaemenid statuette of a bull
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Amulet of Bes from Iran
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Susa, Sassanian portrait
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Iranian Azerbaijan, Disk with a deity with two wild animals
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Ardashir II (Hormizd I), coin
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Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject hlw3 (OP. Haraiva = Aria)
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Persepolis, Apadana, Northern Stairs, Central Relief, Guard, Weight
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Bahram V
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Valkash
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Susa, Relief of Artabanus IV
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Susa, Handle of a Parthian coffin
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Persepolis, Queen's Quarters, Inscription XPf, Persian text (Tehran copy)
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Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject kmt (OE. Kemet = Egypt)
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Tepe Sialk, Early first millennium beak pot (2)
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Hamadan, Achaemenid torque
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Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject sk3tl3 (OP. Skudra = Thrace)
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Head of a bronze statue of a Parthian prince, found at Shami, Khuzestan
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Persepolis, Tripylon, Lamassu capital
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Persepolis, Apadana, Northern Stairs, Central Relief, Darius' flower
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Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject m'dy (OP. Mâda = Media)
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Persepolis, Apadana, Northern Stairs, Central Relief, Darius
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Susa, Inscription A2Sd
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Persepolis, Apadana, Northern Stairs, Central Relief, Darius' stool
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Tepe Sialk, Cup from the fourth millennium decorated with a human figure
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hndw3y (OP. Hinduš = India)
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Persepolis, Apadana, Northern Stairs, Central Relief, Pharnaces
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Damghan, Sasanian relief
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Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject '3ylm "Chiefs of Irem" (Elam)
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Susa, Inscription A2Sb
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Persepolis, Apadana, Northern Stairs, Central Relief, Prince
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Persepolis, Apadana, Northern Stairs, Central Relief, Incense burners
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Choga Zanbil, Ziggurat, Inner gate, Lock with Inscription
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Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject skdy (OP. Sugda = Sogdia)
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Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject pls (OP. Parsa = Persis)
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Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject s3htjl (OP. Bâkhtriš = Bactria)
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Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject t3 tjmhw (OE. Tjemehu = Cyrenaica)
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Persepolis, Treasury, Weight DWc
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Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject slng (OP. Zranka = Drangiana)
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Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject gdpdk3y (OP. Katpatuka = Cappadocia)
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Susa, Statue of Darius, Darius' name as cartouche: drjwS
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Yazdgard II
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Hamadan, Achaemenid rhyton
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Susa, Inscription DSy
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Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject sg?shkš (OP Sâka = Scythians)
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Susa, Stone fish
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Persepolis, Treasury, Statue of Penelope
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Persepolis, Apadana, Northern Stairs, Central Relief, Darius on his throne
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Susa, Statue of Darius, once erected in Egypt, but later brought to Susa.
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Persepolis, Palace of Darius, Relief of a sphinx
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Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject t3 nhsy (Kush)
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Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject b3b3l (Babylonia)
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Sari, Sasanian plate
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Persepolis, Apadana, Northern Stairs, Central Relief, Guards
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Achaemenid nobleman
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Peroz I
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Persepolis, Inscription XPh ("Daiva inscription")
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Royal Warrior
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Bishapur, Palace, Mosaic of a lady with flowers
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Persepolis, Apadana, Northern Stairs, Central Relief
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Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject Hgr (Hegra, i.e., Arabia)
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Susa, Statue of Darius the Great, Belt with akinakes
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Persepolis, Tripylon, Staircase
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Persepolis, Portrait of an Achaemenid woman or beardless prince
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Tepe Sialk, Cup from the first millennium
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Susa, Statue of Darius the Great, left-hand side of the base
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Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject 3lm'yn3 (OP. Armina = Armenia)
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Persepolis, Apadana, Northern Stairs, Central Relief, Weapon carrier, Akinakes
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Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject ch3rs3m' (OP. Uvârazmîy = Chorasmia)
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Hellenistic portrait of a queen
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Persepolis, Apadana, Northern Stairs, Central Relief, Weapon carrier
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Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject m'g (Maka)
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Susa, Statue of Darius the Great, Base with sema-tawy (rear)
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Choga Zanbil, Ziggurat, Doorknob (Tehran)
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Persepolis, Queen's Quarters, Inscription XPf, Babylonian text
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Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject sdgw3? (OP. Thataguš = Sattagydia)
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Persepolis, Hall of 32 Columns, Plaque
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