Termez, steeped in history, stands as one of Central Asia’s oldest cities. It is home to the Airatam Buddhist temple complex, a remarkable relic of the Kushan era and a crown jewel of the region’s architectural heritage. The city has yielded a wealth of archaeological treasures from the Greco-Bactrian and Kushan periods, now carefully preserved in the Museum of History of Uzbekistan and the Termez Archaeological Museum.
The inauguration of the Termez Archaeological Museum on April 2, 2002, marked the city’s 2500-year celebration. Unlike its broader-focused counterpart, the History Museum, this institution specializes in archaeological artifacts, making it a singular destination in Central Asia.
The museum’s collection boasts over 27,000 items, ranging from domestic objects such as ceramics and utensils to ancient and medieval weaponry, coins, and seals of historical leaders. Additionally, it houses an extensive array of paintings and sculptures, including Greco-Bactrian art and Buddhist statuary from the region’s erstwhile monasteries.
Visitors can traverse the museum’s main galleries, where artifacts are meticulously organized chronologically from the Stone Age through the khanate era. The collection is systematically cataloged, allowing for easy navigation to items of interest.
The museum also curates a significant compilation of written materials, including books, royal correspondences, and economic records, all housed within its library of approximately 16,000 volumes, predominantly in Arabic and Persian, harking back to the medieval era.
The Termez Archaeological Museum stands out as one of the rare institutions where visitors can explore such a diverse array of ancient Central Asian artifacts, many of which are unparalleled. Those who step into its halls are invited on an enlightening expedition through the annals of archaeology.
Tours in Uzbekistan
