Visit Kurdistan: Journey through history and heritage in the Region's museums

Shafaq News/ From ancient artifacts to cultural textiles and modern exhibits of memory and survival, the museums of the Kurdistan Region offer a diverse window into the past and present of a people shaped by resilience, artistry, and deep-rooted tradition. Scattered across Erbil, Al-Sulaymaniyah, and Duhok, these institutions are as varied as the history they preserve.

Slemani Museum

Situated in central Al-Sulaymaniyah and established in 1961, Slemani (Al-Sulaymaniyah) Museum is the largest in the Kurdistan Region and the second-largest in Iraq. It houses over 90,000 artifacts that span thousands of years of Mesopotamian and Kurdish history. Highlights include Assyrian wall reliefs from Nimrud, Sumerian and Akkadian objects, and Tablet V of the Epic of Gilgamesh. The museum also features the Paikuli Gallery with Sassanian inscriptions and a dedicated children’s section designed to engage younger audiences.

Zakho Historical and Heritage Museum

Recently inaugurated in Zakho’s historic fortress, the museum celebrates the city's diverse cultural past with over 700 rare items, including traditional clothing, manuscripts, and antique tools, serving as a local center of identity and memory to educate future generations about Zakho's rich ethnic and religious heritage.

Kurdish Textile Museum

Located inside the historic Erbil Citadel, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Textile Museum, established in 2004, preserves traditional weaving practices and showcases the artistry of Kurdish rugs, kilims, and costumes. Looms, spinning tools, and cultural artifacts accompany displays of vibrant textiles that once adorned Kurdish homes, with the museum serving as both an educational hub and a cultural ambassador.

Syriac Heritage Museum

Established in 2009 in Erbil’s Ankawa neighborhood, the Heritage Museum pays tribute to the Region’s rich Christian heritage, displaying ancient manuscripts, church artifacts, and models of traditional Assyrian and Chaldean villages while capturing the continuity and complexity of one of Iraq’s oldest communities.

Erbil Civilization Museum

Focusing on the broader Mesopotamian timeline, the Civilization Museum showcases artifacts from the Sumerian, Babylonian, and Assyrian periods, with pottery, statuary, cuneiform tablets, and tools shedding light on the deep historical layers of the Erbil plain.

Kurd’s Heritage Museum

Located on Mawlawi Street in Al-Sulaymaniyah, this museum offers a close-up look at daily life in Kurdish history. From traditional dress and domestic tools to photographs and handwritten documents, the exhibits highlight the lived experiences of Kurdish families over generations.

Amna Suraka (Red Security) Museum

Situated in Al-Sulaymaniyah, Amna Suraka is housed in the former Ba'athist intelligence headquarters. It is a powerful memorial to the Kurdish victims of Saddam Hussein's regime. The site preserves prison cells, torture rooms, and bullet-riddled walls, while the "Hall of Mirrors" uses shards of glass to commemorate each fallen soul in the Anfal campaign. It is one of the most visited—and sobering—museums in the Region.

Duhok Archaeological Museum

Located within the University of Duhok, the Archaeological Museum offers a compact but meaningful exploration of the Region’s prehistoric and ancient civilizations. The museum showcases Neolithic tools, Assyrian and Hurrian artifacts, and cultural relics from the Halaf and Ubaid periods. It also plays an academic role in supporting archaeological research and student education in the province.

Erbil Stones and Gems Museum

This private museum showcases minerals, gemstones, and fossils from Iraq and around the world. Its curated displays reflect both natural beauty and scientific curiosity.

Erbil Currency Museum

Launched in April 2024, the Currency Museum presents a comprehensive display of Iraqi dinars and coins spanning 94 years. The collection includes rare banknotes from different political eras and currencies issued under the monarchy, the Ba’athist regime, and the post-2003 period. The museum provides an economic lens through which to view the country’s shifting history.

Illusion Museum Erbil

The Illusion Museum is one of the Region's newer attractions. It features interactive exhibits that challenge perception and entertain visitors of all ages. From rotating rooms to optical puzzles, it brings a lighthearted twist to the museum experience.

Kurdistan Museum

Currently under construction near the Erbil Citadel, the Kurdistan Museum, designed by world-renowned architect Daniel Libeskind, will be the first major museum dedicated to Kurdish history and identity. It will feature multimedia exhibits, archival spaces, and a memorial garden to honor victims of past atrocities, and is expected to become a cornerstone of Kurdish cultural preservation and education.

Whether you're tracing ancient civilizations, admiring woven masterpieces, or honoring the memory of a people who endured, the museums of the Kurdistan Region invite you on a journey through time, identity, and unshakable cultural pride.