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The exposition of the State Museum of the State Cultural Centre of Turkmenistan is dedicated to the centuries-old history of Turkmenistan. Here, you can take a fascinating journey into the past, recollect historical events and learn about various periods. The building's dome is divided into sixteen hemispheres supported by 25 columns. The museum exhibit consists of two floors and eight halls. The hall is located in a circular space on the first floor. In its center, in the atrium, there are state symbols: the national flag, the national emblem, and jewelry compositions presented to our Hero Arkadag and honourable President displayed in show-cases.
The ground floor of the museum houses a section dedicated to the independence of Turkmenistan, a carpet section, and a temporary exhibition hall. The tour leads to the first floor and begins with an introduction to the ancient era, beginning with a map showing the main archaeological sites of Turkmenistan and continuing in the "Ancient World" hall. The hall tells about the beginning of the history of human society and the first period of settlement of the territory of our country by primitive peoples, as well as the first city and state founded in the territory of Turkmenistan. Here are presented large flint tools dating back to the Upper Paleolithic (60,000 years B.C.); as well as small stone tools and shell ornaments dating back to the Mesolithic (12,000 years B.C.); tools and fragments of ceramic vessels decorated with wavy lines and mineral paints, and tertian stones related to the first agricultural culture of Central Asia (6000 years B.C.), related to the Neolithic - the Jeitun culture; various types of thin-walled ceramic vessels made on a potter's wheel, dating back to the Eneolithic (5000-4000 years B.C.); Seals, ceramic vessels, and a model of a ziggurat-shaped temple, as well as figurines related to the Altyndepe urban culture, are on display.
The second hall is dedicated to the Margush country, located on the ancient riverbed of the Murghab River in Mary Province, dating back to 3,000-2,000 years B.C. It showcases the architecture of cities, temples, and fortresses, as well as the excellence of ancient craftsmen, ceramicists and jewellers. They skillfully crafted small ornaments from gold, turquoise and cornelian. The gold and silver vessels are striking in their elegance and refinement. Numerous silver, bronze, and stone seals and cosmetic accessories, decorated with mythological scenes, impress with their craftsmanship.
The Hall of Antiquity tells the story of Old Nisa, one of the capitals of the Great Parthian Empire, the residence and treasury of the Parthian kings. The hall displays rare architectural elements, skillfully crafted silver and gilded figurines of Athena, Eros an eagle, and a griffin. The main pride of a museum and its unique feature are rhytons made of ivory, which frieze and cornice are decorated by scenes from the Greek mythology, middle part with flower patterns, and bottom with the image mythical beings. In antiquity they were decorated with precious stones and metalss. Rhytons were made by means of carving method on a bone.
Two halls of the early and late Middle Ages present the states founded by the Turkmens in the territory of Turkmenistan. The hall of the early Middle Ages displays a rare restored example of Buddhist architecture, figurines and Merv vase decorated with mineral paints. There are also vessels with Arab inscriptions, glazed and molded ceramic vessels, medieval gold and silver coins, as well as miniature copies of the mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar in ancient Merv and other medieval monuments. The Late Medieval Hall presents information about the cities of Koneurgench the capital of the Khorezmshahs, Dehistan, New Nisa, and Amul. The exhibition also presents architectural pieces of those times, ceramics, copper, glazed vessels, gold coins, bracelets, statues, and a miniature copy of the Seyitjemal Ad-din Mosque in Anau.
Carpet weaving is one of the oldest national arts. The Carpet Hall on the ground floor presents carpets and rugs of the Turkmen people of the 19th and the 20th centuries. In the center of the Carpet Hall is one of the giant carpets, the pride of the Turkmen people with the main pattern "gushly gel", its area is 266 square meters. Since ancient times, the Turkmen people have decorated their homes, horses, camels, and household items with hand-woven carpets. To them belong laying carpets and carpets for adornment of yurta - gapylyk, ensi, tuinuk yup, umur-duman, mat bags, bags, ikselik, ukujy, saddle-bags, adornments for horses - a shabrack, capes for horses, adornments for camels - asmalyk, torumlyk, due botunlyk, due dyzlyk, due yzlyk. Quality of a carpet depends on density of weaving, harmony of colours, flatness of edges and a graceful arrangement of colours. Turkmen women have woven carpets by means of fleecy and carpeting method. For every region the gels (patterns) according to district, an everyday life and the nature were inherent. Turkmen carpet-makers passed secrets of colouring of a carpet wool from generation to generation. Therefore accuracy and clearness of colour of carpet patterns remained long, at least for 3-4 generations. World famous carpets not only glorify the beauty of the nature, but were also used as original annals.