Yerevan is a city with many museums: art museums, folk museums, history museums, science museums, house museums, and the list goes on and on. The Folk Art Museum is unique in that it is a bit removed from the heart of the city, but at the same time, it is walking distance from the Opera. Located at what is known as the “head” of the city, the Museum hosts a large collection of indigenous Armenian folk crafts.
The Museum is divided into four main exhibitions: first, the wood craft section; second, the metals section; third, the lace section; and fourth, the clay and carpets section. In particular, the wood craft section showcases a wide selection of Armenian woodwork – specifically carvings. The metal work section demonstrates the intricacy of Armenian blacksmiths, silversmiths, and jewellers. The lace section includes several nineteenth century textiles, including Armenian traditional costumes. Lastly, the clay and carpet section, well, that is self explanatory.
This is one of my favorite museums in the city. It is rich with culture, hidden, and just plainly interesting. Visit and learn about the ancient crafts of the Armenian Highlands. By the way, don’t forget to look inside the microscopes to view the work of Eduard Khazaryan. Fellow Spotter Arpi wrote an insightful article about the one-of-a-kind miniature sculptor – check it out!