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