Abgineh Museum of Tehran

The Glassware and Ceramic Museum of Iran, commonly known as the Abgineh Museum, is a museum located at 30 Tir Street in District 12 of Tehran, Iran. It holds a collection of more than 1,000 art pieces spanning from prehistory to modern times, with a specialized focus on glassware and ceramics. The institution operates within a historic private mansion that is recognized as an Iranian national heritage site.

The historic mansion was commissioned at the beginning of the twentieth century by Ahmad Qavam, who served as prime minister, and he utilized the building as his private residence and office until 1953. The property subsequently changed ownership multiple times, serving as the Egyptian embassy for seven years before being acquired by the Iran Merchant Bank. In 1976, the bank sold the building to the office of Empress Farah Pahlavi, who ordered its conversion into a museum. Although planned under the monarchy, the museum did not open until 1980, following the revolution. In 1998, the building was officially inscribed on the list of national heritage sites.

The museum displays its holdings chronologically and thematically across six exhibition halls and two entrance halls. The collection encompasses pottery and ceramics from the fourth millennium BCE to the present, alongside glass objects dating from the first millennium BCE to contemporary times. European glassworks from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries are also represented. The Islamic ceramics section features pieces primarily originating from Nishapur, Kashan, and Gorgan, with additional works from Rey and Saveh.

Among the notable holdings are rare clay pots from the fourth millennium BCE, which mark the earliest extent of the ceramic collection. The Islamic ceramics collection is distinguished by its specific regional provenances, including significant pieces from Nishapur, Kashan, Gorgan, Rey, and Saveh. The glass collection includes both ancient first millennium BCE objects and later European glassworks from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

The museum is housed in a 1,040 square meter historic mansion constructed of brick and plaster. Originally designed as a private residence and office for Ahmad Qavam, the architecture reflects the early twentieth century style of the period. The structure later functioned as the Egyptian embassy before its adaptation into a public museum.

The Abgineh Museum is located at 30 Tir Street, formerly known as Ghavam al-Saltaneh Street, in District 12 of Tehran. The property is currently owned by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. It serves as a public museum dedicated to the preservation and exhibition of Iranian glassware and ceramics.