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