Uzbekistan launches construction of landmark National Museum in Tashkent
New museum designed by Japan’s Tadao Ando will showcase 10,000 artifacts, linking Uzbekistan’s heritage with global institutions
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan (MNTV) — Uzbekistan has launched construction of a landmark National Museum in its capital, a project designed by acclaimed Japanese architect Tadao Ando and set to become the country’s largest cultural institution.
The new museum will cover more than 40,000 square meters and showcase up to 10,000 artifacts, according to the presidential press service. German design studio Atelier Brückner is collaborating on the project, while China State Construction Engineering Corporation serves as the main contractor.
Officials said the building’s circular, triangular, and square motifs were chosen to symbolize the meeting of Eastern and Western traditions.
Beyond exhibition halls, the complex will feature research and restoration facilities, a library, conference halls, restaurants, and recreational areas for children.
The site is being developed as part of a wider cultural ensemble alongside the Abulkasym Madrasah, the Palace of Friendship of Peoples, and the National Park of Uzbekistan.
“Uzbekistan’s three-thousand-year-old heritage deserves to be shared not only with our citizens but with the global community,” President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said at the groundbreaking ceremony. “This museum will stand as a center of science, enlightenment, and culture for generations to come.”
Authorities also announced plans to collaborate with leading international institutions, including the Louvre in Paris and New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, to host traveling exhibitions and exchange collections. The move is part of a broader strategy to position Uzbekistan as a hub for cultural diplomacy in Central Asia.
The capital currently houses more than 1.2 million artifacts across 30 museums, but only a fraction are on public display due to space limitations. At the State Museum of Arts, for instance, just 2,400 of its 100,000 works can be exhibited, while the rest remain in storage.
Uzbekistan had 134 museums nationwide as of early 2023. By January 2025, collections had grown to 2.7 million pieces, according to the Statistics Agency — a scale that underscores the need for expanded exhibition space and modernization of cultural infrastructure.
Have Your Say!
Have you been affected by the issues raised in this story? Please share your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@soundvision.com.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a Muslim Network TV’s representative. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
Tweet: @MuslimNetworkTV
We must take charge of our narrative. Research indicates that 92% of their Muslim coverage is negative. Help us change that.
