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Carpet Museum

The Carpet Museum, situated on the Seaside Boulevard, is one of Baku’s modern architectural icons. Shaped like a rolled-up carpet, the eye-catching building was designed by Austrian architect Franz Janz and opened in 2014.

The museum itself dates back to 1967, when it was established to research and exhibit Azerbaijan’s ancient art of carpet weaving, which in 2010 was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. In some rural regions of the country, carpet weaving is still a family tradition passed on orally through the generations.

Today, the Carpet Museum is home to the largest collection of Azerbaijani carpets in the world – over 6,000. Those on display mainly date from between the 17th and 20th centuries and are arranged according to style and region. As you browse them, you’ll be able to uncover the ins and outs of Azerbaijan’s 7 regional carpet weaving schools and learn the meaning behind the multitude of designs, which reflect local culture, nature and beliefs. 

In addition, the museum displays lots more carpet products and handicrafts. Overall, there are 7 sections to explore covering: pile carpets; flat-woven carpets; carpet products; artistic metalwork; ceramics, glass, wood and paper; textiles, costume and embroidery; and jewellery. You can also see how Azerbaijani carpets are made during live demonstrations, learn about the legendary Azerbaijani carpet designer Latif Karimov, and purchase souvenirs in the gift shop.