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, Inscription XPg
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 Susa, Statue of Darius the Great, Belt with akinakes
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 Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject hlw3 (OP. Haraiva = Aria)
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 Bahram V
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 Achaemenid nobleman
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 Susa, Statue of Darius, once erected in Egypt, but later brought to Susa.
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 Persepolis, Treasury, Statue of Penelope
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 Choga Zanbil, Ziggurat, Doorknob (Tehran)
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 Hamadan, Achaemenid torque
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 Sari, Sasanian plate
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 Persepolis, Apadana, Northern Stairs, Central Relief, Darius' flower
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 Choga Zanbil, Ziggurat, Inner gate, Lock with Inscription
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 Susa, Inscription A2Sd
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 Persepolis, Palace of Darius, Relief of a sphinx
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 Yazdgard II
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 Persepolis, Apadana, Northern Stairs, Central Relief, Pharnaces
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 Head of a bronze statue of a Parthian prince, found at Shami, Khuzestan
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 Susa, Inscription A2Sd
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 Persepolis, Tripylon, Lamassu capital
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 Hamadan, Achaemenid rhyton
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 Iranian Azerbaijan, Disk with a deity with two wild animals
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 Damghan, Sasanian relief
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 Persepolis, Apadana, Northern Stairs, Central Relief, Prince
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 Valkash
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 Persepolis, Queen's Quarters, Inscription XPf, Persian text (Tehran copy)
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 Susa, Stone fish
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 Susa, Statue of Darius the Great, left-hand side of the base
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 Persepolis, Queen's Quarters, Inscription XPf, Babylonian text
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 Persepolis, Apadana, Northern Stairs, Central Relief, Guard, Weight
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 Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject '3ylm "Chiefs of Irem" (Elam)
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 Hamadan, Achaemenid cup with relief of a winged lion
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 Tepe Hesar, Figurine
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 Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject spltj3 (OP. Sparda = Lydia)
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 Susa, Relief of Artabanus IV
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 Persepolis, Apadana, Northern Stairs, Central Relief, Darius' stool
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 Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject b3b3l (Babylonia)
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 Hamadan, Sasanian dish
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 Persepolis, Apadana, Northern Stairs, Central Relief
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 Susa, Sassanian portrait
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 Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject Hgr (Hegra, i.e., Arabia)
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 Susa, Statue of Darius the Great, Base with sema-tawy (rear)
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 Persepolis, Apadana, Dog's head
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 Persepolis, Hall of 32 Columns, Plaque
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 Susa, Inscription A2Sb
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 Susa, Hellenistic portrait of a Muse
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 Persepolis, Tripylon, Staircase
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 Tepe sialk, Jar from the fourth millennium BCE, decorated with ibexes
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 Persepolis, Apadana, Northern Stairs, Central Relief, Great Magian
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 Susa, Inscription A2Sb
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 Amulet of Bes from Iran
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 Hamadan, Achaemenid statuette of a bull
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 Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject 3Sw3l (Assyria)
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 Tepe Hisar, Late Bronze Age phial
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 Persepolis, Apadana, Northern Stairs, Central Relief, Darius
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 Iranian Azerbaijan, Stone weight
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 Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject skdy (OP. Sugda = Sogdia)
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 Persepolis, Apadana, Northern Stairs, Central Relief, Incense burners
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 Susa, Inscription DSy
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 Grey ware from Khurvin
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 Persepolis, Portrait of an Achaemenid woman or beardless prince
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 Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject kmt (OE. Kemet = Egypt)
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 Bahram IV
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 hndw3y (OP. Hinduš = India)
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 Susa, Statue of Darius, Darius' name as cartouche: drjwS
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 Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject sg?shkš (OP Sâka = Scythians)
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 Tepe Sialk, Cup from the first millennium
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 Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject s3htjl (OP. Bâkhtriš = Bactria)
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 Persepolis, Palace of Darius, Doorknob with inscription DPi
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 Persepolis, Inscription XPh ("Daiva inscription")
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 Ardashir II (Hormizd I), coin
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 Tepe Sialk, Early first millennium beak pot (2)
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 Persepolis, Apadana, Northern Stairs, Central Relief, Guards
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 Hellenistic portrait of a queen
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 Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject t3 tjmhw (OE. Tjemehu = Cyrenaica)
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 Royal Warrior
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 Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject 3lm'yn3 (OP. Armina = Armenia)
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 Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject sdgw3? (OP. Thataguš = Sattagydia)
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 Persepolis, Apadana, Northern Stairs, Central Relief, Weapon carrier, Akinakes
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 Susa, Handle of a Parthian coffin
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 Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject pls (OP. Parsa = Persis)
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 Persepolis, Apadana, Northern Stairs, Central Relief, Weapon carrier
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 Peroz I
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 Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject sk3tl3 (OP. Skudra = Thrace)
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 Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject gdpdk3y (OP. Katpatuka = Cappadocia)
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 Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject t3 nhsy (Kush)
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 Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject m'g (Maka)
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 Choga Zanbil, Inner Court, Statue of a cow
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 Persepolis, Treasury, Weight DWc
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 Persepolis, Apadana, Northern Stairs, Central Relief (Proskynesis scene)
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 Yazdgard I
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 Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject slng (OP. Zranka = Drangiana)
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 Persepolis, Apadana, Northern Stairs, Central Relief, Darius on his throne
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 Susa, Statue of Darius the Great, Base with sema-tawy (front)
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 Tepe Sialk, Cup from the fourth millennium decorated with a human figure
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 Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject m'dy (OP. Mâda = Media)
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 Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject pltiiw3 (OP. Parthava = Parthia)
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 Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject hlhdy (OP. Gandâra = Gandara)
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 Susa, Statue of Darius, Subject ch3rs3m' (OP. Uvârazmîy = Chorasmia)
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 Bishapur, Palace, Mosaic of a lady with flowers
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 Persepolis, Apadana, Northern Stairs, Central Relief, Guard, "Apple"
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