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