Standing proudly on Republic Square in the heart of Yerevan, the National Gallery of Armenia is not just the country’s premier art museum—it is one of the largest art institutions in the CIS and home to the world’s most extensive collection of Armenian fine arts. Housed within the grand edifice of the Republic Square Museum Complex, the gallery offers a rich visual journey through centuries of artistic brilliance, from classical European masters to the vibrant strokes of Armenian visionaries.
With a collection exceeding 20,000 works, the National Gallery serves as Armenia’s artistic soul. It was originally established in 1921 as part of the State Museum of Armenia and gained its independent status and national importance over time. Today, it is one of the region’s most significant art centers, welcoming scholars, collectors, and art lovers from across the globe.
The gallery is organized into four primary departments:
Armenian Fine Arts
Russian Art
Western European Painting
Graphic Arts and Drawings
Each department presents a curated narrative of style, cultural identity, and the historical evolution of visual expression.
Armenian Fine Arts
The Armenian art collection is the crown jewel of the National Gallery. From medieval religious icons and frescoes to masterpieces by 19th and 20th-century Armenian painters, this department captures the depth and diversity of Armenian culture. Works by celebrated artists such as Martiros Saryan, Vardges Sureniants, Hakob Kojoyan, and Minas Avetisyan reflect the nation’s enduring connection to its landscape, heritage, and spiritual traditions.
Western European Masters
The Western European department boasts more than 350 works, including paintings and sketches by some of Europe’s most celebrated names. Among the highlights are works by:
Peter Paul Rubens
Gustave Courbet
Marc Chagall
Wassily Kandinsky
Although not Armenian, these artists’ works are essential to understanding the broader context of world art and its influence on Armenian creators. The presence of Chagall and Kandinsky, in particular, adds a modernist dimension to the gallery’s otherwise classically anchored collection.
Russian Art: Icons of an Empire
The Russian art collection is another significant pillar of the museum. It features paintings from the 18th to the 20th centuries, with works by legendary Russian artists such as:
Ilya Repin
Karl Bryullov
Vasily Surikov
Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin
Masterpieces by Ivan Aivazovsky
No visit to the National Gallery of Armenia would be complete without experiencing its stunning collection of works by Ivan Aivazovsky, the Armenian-born seascape painter who gained global acclaim for his mastery of light, water, and atmosphere. The Yerevan gallery holds one of the world’s most comprehensive collections of his paintings—many of which were acquired from nationalized Russian museums or donated by Armenian collectors.
Diaspora Contributions
The gallery also honors the works of Western Armenian artists, including Edgar Chahine (Garzu), Jean Carzou (Fetvadjian), and Hovsep Pushman, whose creative journeys spanned continents but remained deeply rooted in Armenian identity. Their presence in the museum underscores the global footprint of Armenian art and the powerful role of the diaspora in preserving cultural memory.
Address: 1, Aram Str., Yerevan
Phone: (+374 10) 56-74-72
Working hours: Tuesday-Saturday from 11:00 a.m. till 05:00 p.m., Sunday from 11:00 a.m. till 04:00 p.m.
Closed: on Monday