The Ijevan Regional and History Museum

The Ijevan Regional and History Museum immerses visitors in a world of rarely seen artifacts—objects so unfamiliar they often surprise even the most seasoned guests. From fragments of the Second World War to geological specimens unique to the region, the museum offers a focused yet eclectic view into Armenia’s layered past.

Housed in a modest building with wooden verandas, the museum sits just off the town’s main highway, across from the Ijevan Dendropark and near the Genocide Memorial. Though the museum was officially established in 1955, it remained closed to the public until 1997. Its collection is divided into four themed sections: natural history, geology, ethnology, and national heroes.

Notably, in 1992, approximately 1,600 artifacts were transferred from Ijevan to the Museum of the Battle of Sardarapat and to the former Museum of the Yerevan Revolution—now the History Museum of Armenia.

Among the museum’s rarest holdings is a telegram sent by Soviet-Armenian politician Sarkis Kasyan to Vladimir Lenin on November 30, 1920, announcing the Sovietization of Armenia. Another standout piece is a radio receiver that Joseph Stalin personally gifted to the first Soviet tank commander to enter Berlin.

In the courtyard, two cannons draw particular attention. The first was cast in St. Petersburg in 1906, took part in World War I, and was used in revolutionary battles. The second, forged in Yekaterinburg in 1927, saw action throughout the entirety of World War II.

Inside, visitors will also find artifacts dating back to the 3rd and 2nd millennia BCE, as well as remnants from the ancient Armenian kingdom of Urartu. The collection may be compact, but it holds a depth that links Armenia’s past with pivotal moments in global history.