Ingliz tili I fakulteti

Lecture 10. Museums of the Republic of Uzbekistan

Plan:

1. 
   Museum of the Timurid History
   
2. 
   Museum of History of “Varakhsha”
   
3. 
   Fergana Museum of Local history
   

No doubt, the best way to learn about Uzbekistan, to familiarize oneself with its history and traditions and to understand the mentality of its people is to visit the country's diverse museums. The first public museum in Uzbekistan was opened in Tashkent in 1876. Later, museums of regional studies were organized in the cities of Samarkand and Fergana, in 1896 and 1899, respectively. Though being quite miscellaneous and often casual, the museums’ exhibits could nevertheless provide some information on the local history, nature and society and contribute to the local people’s cultural and educational development.

The State Museum of History of Uzbekistan under the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan is the oldest museum in Central Asia. It was founded on 12 July 1876 and was named the National Museum of Turkestan. The museum’s collection consists of over 250,000 items and includes unique archaeological, numismatic and ethnographic articles.

The museum also possesses rare archive materials, manuscripts, historical documents, photographic materials and others reflecting the principal stages of the history of the Uzbek people. Samples of painting and sculpture, ceramic, bronze and glass items, articles of funeral rites and others allow us to see the history of the development of religion and culture in the territory of contemporary Uzbekistan in various historical periods. Exhibits belonging to the Timurid period are of special importance as they illustrate clearly the flourishing of the medieval science, poetry, architecture and crafts.