Samarkand, UzbekistanAbout this attraction
The Afrasiyab Museum stands beside the ancient settlement of Afrasiyab, the hill where Samarkand's pre-Mongol city once stood. It opened in 1970 in a two-story Soviet modernist building and is best known for the Sogdian wall paintings found in 1965, when a road was being cut across the mound.
The paintings come from a reception hall in a house a short distance west of the museum, and date to the 7th century CE. They show envoys from China, Turkic lands and elsewhere arriving at the court of King Varkhuman, and the museum's central hall reproduces the proportions of the original room. Around it you will find ossuaries, pottery, millstones and fragments of the old citadel. It is a good first stop for understanding Samarkand before the Timurids.
- Opening hours
- Listed closings conflict (17:00, 18:00) and closed day (Sunday vs Monday); samarkandmuseum.uz did not return hours. Unverified, read 2026-11-11
- Time to allow
- 45 minutes to 1 hour
- Good for
- History lovers, Families with older children, Photographers
Where to pray
This is a history museum, not a place of worship. Modest everyday clothing is the usual choice for visitors.
Must see
The Sogdian wall paintings of the Hall of Ambassadors, including the Chinese envoys carrying silk. The ossuaries and citadel remains are worth a look too.
Location
Afrasiyab hill area, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
DirectionsNearby
Within 5 km, nearest first.
Places to pray
All places to pray nearby
Halal restaurants
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