Muyi Muborak Library Museum (Uthman Quran)

The Muyi Muborak Library Museum stands on Khast Imam Square in the Old City of Tashkent, Uzbekistan, at the end of Qorasaroy Street in the Olmazor District. It is best known as the home of the Uthman Quran, a large early Quranic manuscript written on thin animal skin and traditionally attributed to the third caliph, Uthman. The manuscript is displayed under glass in a quiet, dimly lit hall and is one of the most important Islamic relics in Central Asia. The library takes its name from Muyi Muborak, the sacred hair relic of the Prophet Muhammad that is kept in the same complex and is shown only on special religious occasions.

The building is a modern complex in a traditional Central Asian style, with blue-tiled domes, carved wooden doors and a courtyard that matches the nearby Barak Khan Madrasa and Tilla Sheikh Mosque. Inside, visitors see the Uthman Quran as the centrepiece, alongside shelves of rare Qurans, manuscripts and lithographed books from across the Muslim world, many with ornate calligraphy, gilded borders and leather bindings. Captions are mainly in Uzbek, Russian and English, though detail is limited, so a local guide adds useful context.

A visit is short, usually 30 to 45 minutes, and fits naturally into a wider walk of the Khast Imam Complex. The best time to come is a weekday morning soon after opening, when tour groups have not yet arrived and the hall is calm. Crowds rise around midday and on Friday, when the museum may close earlier for prayers. Photography of the manuscript is often restricted or charged separately, so visitors should ask at the desk before raising a camera. The best photo angles are the exterior domes and the courtyard facades from the square, where late-afternoon light warms the tilework.

Modest dress is expected, with covered shoulders and knees, and the atmosphere is that of a place of worship as much as a museum. Admission is reported at roughly 30,000 to 50,000 UZS, with foreign visitors paying more than residents.