Tehran Time Museum: Visit the Museum, Garden, and Historic Mansion with a Single Ticket!

Museums can be considered among the most fascinating attractions of any city. They usually bring together collections of unique objects so that visitors can gain the most knowledge in a short time. Today, museums exist in various styles and types, hosting millions of visitors each year. However, many travelers may show more interest in visiting historical and natural sites and might not include museum visits in their travel plans — something that often happens simply because they are not familiar with the museums at their destination! Therefore, before visiting a city or a country, it is best to learn not only about its historical, natural, and cultural attractions but also about its museums. In Tehran, the capital of Iran, there are numerous museums to explore. If you are traveling to Tehran, you will certainly find at least one or two museums that match your interests. One of the most charming museums in Tehran — notable not only for its exhibits but also for its beautiful building and pleasant surroundings — is the Time Museum, also known as Tamashagah-e Zaman or the Clock Museum. As its name suggests, this museum is dedicated to displaying instruments and methods used to measure time.

Where is the Time Museum located?

To visit the Time Museum, you need to go to Zafaraniyeh Street, located in one of the northern neighborhoods of Tehran. The museum is situated at the corner of Parzin Boghdadi Street. It occupies part of the Bagh Ferdows estate, in a garden that once belonged to Mo’ayer al-Mamalek, the son-in-law of Naser al-Din Shah (who ruled from 1831 to 1896). After Mo’ayer al-Mamalek’s death, his son began cutting down the garden’s trees to use the wood as fuel for a kiln! In 1925 (1304 in the Persian calendar), a man named Abdollah Khan Mansour bought the property and saved the garden. Later, in 1967 (1346), the estate came into the possession of Hossein Khodadad, who restored the adobe building and turned it into a stunning work of art. The museum’s magnificent stucco decorations (gachbori) play the main role in its beauty. These intricate plasterworks were created by a team of 40 master craftsmen over nearly 11 years. Khodadad, who was a carpet merchant, was inspired to use such detailed stucco ornamentation to reproduce the traditional Persian carpet motifs on the ceilings and structure of the building. When visiting the Time Museum, you can admire some of the finest examples of Iranian stucco work within its mansion. However, the charm of the building is not limited to the stucco. Other artistic elements, such as geometric woodwork (gereh-chini) on the doors and windows, also reflect the height of Iranian craftsmanship.

One of the mansion’s most remarkable features is the “Isfahan Room”, located on the first floor. The construction of this room took three years and was carried out by three brothers who aimed to recreate an atmosphere reminiscent of Ali Qapu Palace in Isfahan. The ceiling’s decorations are made of copper and gold, adding to its splendor. In this room, you can also find a famous stucco relief known as “The Creation Panel”, the work of Master Isa Khan Bahadori, one of Iran’s most renowned traditional artists.

The Theme and Features of the Time Museum

Time is one of the key elements of human life, and throughout history, many scientists have devised various methods to measure it. Today, with modern clocks available everywhere, we often forget the great effort that was once required to determine time and synchronize different time-measuring instruments. If you visit the Time Museum in Tehran, you will discover some of the most ingenious and daring ideas for measuring time—such as candle clocks and rope clocks, which were made through special processes so that their burning could indicate the passage of time. You can also see examples of oil clocks, water clocks, sand clocks, and sundials displayed in the museum’s courtyard. The beautiful natural setting of the lush garden and the café-restaurant located in one corner of it add a unique charm and flavor to your visit.

The Time Museum covers an area of 5,000 square meters, with a building footprint of 700 square meters. On the first floor of the museum, antique European clocks from the 17th to the 20th centuries are on display. This section includes a variety of timepieces such as mechanical and wind-up clocks, balance wheel clocks, pendulum clocks, table clocks, wall clocks, and grandfather clocks. What makes these clocks particularly special are the ornate decorations on their bodies, featuring artistic elements reminiscent of sculpture, enameling (minakari), and marquetry (moarraq-kari). Some of the clocks in this section are dedicated to prominent Iranian scientific and artistic figures, adding a cultural and historical depth to the collection.

On the second floor, visitors can see artworks created using clock components. These pieces are a form of collage art made by an artist named Houshang Forootan, who began crafting them in 1988 (1367 in the Persian calendar). In another section of this floor, you can find clock repair tools, including items such as watchmaker’s knives, hand pullers, oil needles, and punch tools. Additionally, the floor features a display of wristwatches, pocket watches, and custom-made timepieces, along with documents related to calendars and astronomical studies.