I find this museum extremely important for Yerevan because of many reasons. Yerevan was founded in 782 B.C. and there is the Urartian cuneiform and the ancient fortress to prove it. Indeed, Yerevan also shared the dramatic fate of the Armenian nation. In the middle ages, it was divided between Iran and Turkey. In 1679 it experienced a disastrous earthquake that razed all the buildings to the ground. In the 19th century, it became a part of the Russian Empire when this part of Armenia fell under Russia. In 1924, its modern plan was approved and the city was subjected to radical transformation. I started mentioning all these facts to show you that Yerevan has a very rich history and it is supposed to have all these historical layers.
While Armenians like to boast that Yerevan is 29 years older than Rome, a modern tourist can only find the ancient fortress of Erebuni and mainly Soviet buildings here. The huge historical gap is obvious. That’s why I felt happy when I discovered this museum, because it can give one a comprehensive understanding of all the historical periods, starting from the prehistoric Paleolithic age. One of my favorite artifacts of the museum are the illustrated maps of Yerevan from the 17th century made by French traveler Jean-Baptiste Tavernier and a pre-Soviet model of the city as well. You can also explore the interior decoration of 19th century Yerevan houses.
Well, I think that this museum is a good start to exploring Yerevan. Enjoy!
