The Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum (ANCM), the first museum in the world of its kind, was established in 1967. In 2014, in accordance with the large-scale project implemented by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the new museum building was erected in the National Seaside Park in Baku. This construction, which fulfills all modern requirements and has become a tourist attraction, was designed by the Austrian architect Franz Janz.

The ANCM fund contains more than 10,000 objects and includes seven collections: Pile Carpets; Flat-Woven Carpets; Carpet Products; Artistic Metalwork; Ceramics, Glass, Wood, and Paper; Textiles, Clothing, and Embroidery; Jewellery. The museum houses objects from the Bronze Age, the Ancient Period, and the early Middle Ages, although most of the collection focuses on the 17th-20th centuries. Museum continuously replenishes each of its collection.

The ANCM is a cultural and educational centre and a pioneer of innovative activities that implements diverse programmes based on the collection for visitors of all ages, revives forgotten weaving techniques, teaches these techniques to all visitors, and publishes books and catalogues.

The ANCM’s permanent exhibition also displays touchable replicas of objects accompanied by captions in Braille and audio recordings in Azerbaijani, English, and Russian. This innovation allows  visually impaired individuals to “see” the carpets, experience a variety of techniques, and feel the ornaments’.

The ANCM created the Children’s Museum Department, the first in the country to furnish a space for children to increase their interest in national and cultural heritage. The department offers a number of masterclasses and holds permanent classes. The younger generation are taught to weave carpets in different techniques, design carpet compositions and study the patterns’ semantics through various games. All programmes of the educational department are based on the study and practical development of the museum collection. A puppet theatre and a shadow theatre were also started within the museum.

The Azerbaijan National Carpet Museum has been granted the Tripadvisor Award since 2016 and is the most visited museum in the country. It is particularly important for us today to involve the local community and all its social and age groups in the life of the museum; to build an environment, where people will feel comfortable, where they will want to return; to become a platform to gain personal experience, positive emotions and to develop their own potential. Our experts are working in this direction, developing exhibition projects, theatrical productions, educational and entertainment programs that contribute to a comprehensive study of the history of Azerbaijan and the material culture of the world.