Museum of Applied Arts

The Museum of Applied Arts is housed in a lavish early 20th-century mansion at 15a Rakatboshi Street in the Yakkasaroy District of Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The house was built for Alexander Polovtsev, a Russian diplomat, and combines European plan with richly carved and painted interiors by Uzbek craftsmen. Walls and ceilings carry intricate ganch plaster carving, painted woodwork and decorative panels, so the building itself is a major exhibit. Inside, the collection presents the crafts of every region of Uzbekistan, with suzani embroidery from Bukhara, Samarkand and Nurata, ceramics from Rishtan and Gijduvan, carved wooden doors and chests, metalwork, jewellery, musical instruments and traditional costume. Rooms are arranged by craft or region, with signs in Uzbek, Russian and English. Visitors typically spend 1 to 1.5 hours, and the museum is open Monday to Saturday roughly 10:00 to 17:00, although seasonal changes should be verified. The ticket costs about 40,000 to 60,000 UZS. Midday is a good time, as natural light suits the decorated rooms and tour groups are small. Weekday mornings are usually quieter than weekends. Photography is often permitted for a small fee; visitors should ask at the desk. The best photographic subjects are the carved ceiling of the main reception hall and the large suzani panels. A small shop sells embroidery, ceramics and souvenirs, giving a chance to buy quality pieces. Kosmonavtlar metro station is about a 12-minute walk away, and a taxi from the centre takes roughly five minutes. The museum pairs naturally with a visit to the State Museum of Arts of Uzbekistan, giving a full picture of local craft and fine art.