Iran’s first woodcarving museum opened in Kermanshah
Iran inaugurated its first woodcarving museum on Friday in a historic venue in western city of Kermanshah, to showcase the country’s rich tradition of wood inlay and sculpture.
The museum, housed in the historic Tekyeh Biglarbeigi monument, was officially opened in a ceremony attended by Kermanshah Governor Manouchehr Habibi, the province’s cultural heritage director, the city’s mayor, and several other officials, ILNA reported.
Dariush Farmani, director of Kermanshah’s Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts Organization, told reporters on the sidelines of the event that the museum’s establishment had been in the works since 2021 when the necessary permits were obtained from the Ministry of Cultural Heritage.
However, due to a lack of suitable space for exhibition, the launch had been put on hold.
“After extensive negotiations with cultural heritage authorities, we managed to secure a 200-square-meter space within Tekyeh Biglarbeigi for the museum,” Farmani said. “Fortunately, today we have finally gotten it off the ground.”
As the country’s first dedicated woodcarving museum, the facility showcases 200 intricately crafted wooden pieces, spanning both inlay work and sculpture. “Given the significance of Tekyeh Biglarbeigi as a historical landmark that attracts numerous tourists each year, we decided to set up the museum here,” Farmani added, highlighting its appeal to Nowruz visitors.
Meanwhile, Alireza Bavandpour, a Kermanshah-based woodcarving artist and representative of the World Wood Day Organization, emphasized the province’s standing as a major hub for woodcarving and sculpture.
“The museum will be open to visitors starting Saturday,” Bavandpour confirmed. “Kermanshah holds a prominent position in the global woodcarving scene, and in line with this, we are set to host a cultural exchange event on June 10, bringing together 10 Chinese artists to commemorate World Handicrafts Day.”
He further noted that in recent years, Kermanshah has played host to several international events in the field of woodworking, solidifying its reputation as a center for the craft.