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