State Museum of Art of Uzbekistan

Overview

The State Museum of Art of Uzbekistan holds the country's finest art collection, spanning from medieval Uzbek miniatures and Bukharan embroidery through Russian avant-garde works to Soviet-era paintings and contemporary Central Asian art.

Highlights

• Miniature Paintings: Exquisite Timurid and Mughal manuscript illustrations from the 15th–17th centuries.
• Russian Avant-Garde: Works by Kandinsky, Benois, and Goncharova, collected during the Soviet era.
• Uzbek Contemporary: Post-independence art exploring themes of identity, landscape, and tradition.

History

Founded in 1918 from nationalized private collections, the museum was initially housed in the Romanov Palace. It moved to its current purpose-built facility in 1974. The collection of Russian art is considered one of the best outside Moscow and St Petersburg.

Visitor Tips

• Tip 1: The Uzbek miniature gallery alone is worth the visit — request access if it's closed.
• Tip 2: Closed Mondays. Entry is ~25,000 UZS.
• Duration: 1–1.5 hours.