Museums · Yerevan · Armenia
4 best museums in Yerevan
The collections worth your time, how long each takes and how to fit them together.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Yerevantsi, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Matenadaran, History Museum of Armenia and National Gallery of Armenia. Together the 4 picks below take roughly 6–6 hours across 3 areas; all charge for entry.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 4
- Free entry
- 0
- Time to see them all
- 6–6 hours
- Areas
- Mashtots Avenue, Republic Square and Kond
Museums in Yerevan
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Museum · Mashtots Avenue
1.Matenadaran
The Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts holds thousands of Armenian manuscripts, including illuminated gospels, scientific texts and maps.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
- Iconic
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Museum · Republic Square
2.History Museum of Armenia
On Republic Square, the national history museum covers Armenian history from the Stone Age onwards.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
Gallery · Republic Square
3.National Gallery of Armenia
In the same building as the History Museum, the National Gallery displays Armenian painters such as Martiros Saryan and Ivan Aivazovsky alongside Russian and European art.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Rainy day
Museum · Kond
4.Sergei Parajanov Museum
The museum of the film director Sergei Parajanov displays his collages, assemblages, costumes and drawings in a house overlooking the Hrazdan Gorge.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Mashtots Avenue | Matenadaran | 1.5 hours |
| Republic Square | History Museum of Armenia and National Gallery of Armenia | 2 hours + 1.5 hours |
| Kond | Sergei Parajanov Museum | 1 hour |
Booking and timing
Of these 4, 4 low cost. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is History Museum of Armenia; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 2 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Mashtots Avenue and Republic Square): Matenadaran → History Museum of Armenia, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Republic Square and Kond): National Gallery of Armenia → Sergei Parajanov Museum, at least 3 hours.
The quietest months for queues
- January: highs of 1°C (34°F), about 5 rainy days, very quiet crowds. Cold, often with snow and clear skies that show Ararat; Christmas and New Year holidays fill restaurants.
- February: highs of 4°C (39°F), about 5 rainy days, very quiet crowds. Cold and quiet; good for museums, brandy tours and khash breakfasts.
- November: highs of 11°C (52°F), about 5 rainy days, quiet crowds. Cool and quiet; good for museums and food.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Republic Square — The grand central square of pink tuff, museums and fountains
- Mashtots Avenue — Long central avenue leading to the Matenadaran
More of Yerevan
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Yerevan?
Matenadaran. The Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts holds thousands of Armenian manuscripts, including illuminated gospels, scientific texts and maps.