The Afghanistan national museum

National Museum of Afghanistan

The National Museum of Afghanistan, often called Kabul Museum, preserves collections that reflect the country’s long and diverse history. Founded in 1919, it holds material ranging from prehistoric objects to Buddhist, Hindu and Islamic works, as well as manuscripts, arms, textiles and other historical artefacts.

Early history and the Darulaman building

The museum began with royal collections assembled after Afghanistan gained full independence. In its early years the holdings moved between sites in Kabul, including Bagh-e Bala and the royal palace grounds. In 1931, the collection was installed in its present building in Darulaman, south-west of the city, in a district planned during the reign of King Amanullah Khan.

Collections shaped by archaeology

Excavations undertaken from the 1920s onward greatly expanded the museum’s holdings. Finds from Afghanistan’s archaeological sites documented the country’s place at the crossroads of Central Asia, South Asia and the Iranian plateau. The collection therefore records multiple cultural traditions rather than a single historical period.

Loss, recovery and conservation

Conflict in the late twentieth century caused devastating damage, looting and dispersal of objects. Afghan specialists, government institutions, UNESCO and international museum partners have worked to inventory, conserve and recover heritage material. The museum remains a central institution for presenting Afghanistan’s cultural history and safeguarding national collections.

• Founded: 1919

• Location: Darulaman, Kabul

• Collections: prehistoric, Buddhist, Hindu and Islamic heritage

• Role: national museum and cultural preservation institution