Armenia needs a separate carpet museum

Armenian ethnographer Ashkhunj Poghosyan has for the recent 20 years raised the issue of creating a carpets museum in Armenia to different bodies - but yet to little avail.

“Yet in 1981 the then administration had decided to create a carpet museum. A building, that needed renovation, had been chosen for the museum. But that process was suspended: the building was handed to Etchmiadzin,” said he, adding that Armenia’s ruling authorities are oblivious of carpet weaving.

Further he said that on November 9 the issue was discussed at a session of the Public Council where Director of History Museum of Armenia Anelka Grigoryan – pointing to the fact that Armenian carpets are kept in various museums and that it makes no sense to have a separate museum for the purpose – opposed to the idea.

“We suggest creating a [museum] in Armenia, so that we can preserve and present our national cultural heritage,” said he.

His rough calculations have shown that the construction of the museum will require $15-20 million USD with some 500 square meters in territory.