Photograph of İçərişəhər — Baku Old City — to be added
İçərişəhər — Baku Old City
The walled medieval core of Baku, a UNESCO World Heritage Site enclosing the Maiden Tower and the Palace of the Shirvanshahs.
Included in 4 tours
Baku
The Museum Center
A multi-museum complex on the Boulevard housing several national collections under one roof.
Photograph of The Museum Center — to be added
The Museum Center occupies a large modernist building on Baku Boulevard which was, until 1991, the Lenin Museum. Its conversion into a multi-museum complex is one of the more practical pieces of cultural reuse in the city.
For a visitor on a tight schedule it is efficient: several separate national collections sit under one roof, so a single stop can cover subjects that would otherwise mean crossing the city.
What is inside
The complex houses the Azerbaijan Museum of Independence, the Museum of Musical Culture and the Theatre Museum, along with rotating exhibition halls used for temporary shows.
The Museum of Musical Culture is the standout for many visitors. Azerbaijani mugham — a modal improvisational tradition — is on UNESCO's intangible heritage list, and the collection of historic instruments, including the tar and kamancha, is the best place to understand it outside a live performance.
The Independence Museum covers the 1918 republic and the restoration of sovereignty in 1991, and is treated in more detail on its own page.
The building and location
The building is a substantial piece of late-Soviet civic architecture, and the interior spaces are generous in a way modern museum buildings rarely are.
Its position on the Boulevard puts it within walking distance of the Carpet Museum, Mini Venice and Flag Square, so it fits naturally into the seafront section of a Baku city tour.
Highlights
- Several national museums in a single building
- Museum of Musical Culture — historic mugham instruments
- Azerbaijan Museum of Independence
- Theatre Museum and rotating temporary exhibitions
- Seafront location on Baku Boulevard
Frequently asked questions
What museums are in the Museum Center in Baku?
It houses the Azerbaijan Museum of Independence, the Museum of Musical Culture and the Theatre Museum, plus rotating temporary exhibition halls.
Is there one ticket for all of them?
Generally tickets are sold per museum rather than as a single pass for the complex. Confirm at the entrance, as arrangements change.
More to see in Baku
Photograph of Maiden Tower — to be added
Maiden Tower
The enigmatic stone tower at the edge of the Old City — Baku's oldest and least explained monument.
Included in 3 tours
Photograph of Palace of the Shirvanshahs — to be added
Palace of the Shirvanshahs
The 15th-century seat of the Shirvan rulers, and the largest surviving monument of the Shirvan-Absheron architectural school.
Included in 3 tours
Photograph of Flame Towers — to be added
Flame Towers
Three flame-shaped towers above the city, screened with LEDs that turn the skyline into a fire display after dark.
Included in 3 tours
Photograph of Highland Park & Martyrs' Lane — to be added
Highland Park & Martyrs' Lane
The hilltop terrace with the best panorama over Baku bay, reached by funicular.
Included in 1 tour
Photograph of Baku Boulevard & Mini Venice — to be added
Baku Boulevard & Mini Venice
The Caspian seafront promenade — parkland, canals, Flag Square and the Baku Eye.
Included in 1 tour
Want The Museum Center on your itinerary?
We build private itineraries around the places you actually want to see. Tell us what interests you and we will price it per vehicle.
Or call +994 51 887 98 55 — 08:00 – 20:00, 7 days a week