Matenadaran

Also known as Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts, Matenadaran Library

The Matenadaran (), officially the Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts, is the largest center for the storage, study and popularization of Armenian manuscripts, combining the functions of a museum, archive and scientific institution. It is holds the most extensive collection of Armenian manuscripts in existence.

Key facts

Museum.name: Matenadaran
Museum.logo: 100px
Museum.image: Մատենադարան 04 (Gor Navoyan).jpg
Museum.imagesize: 300
Museum.caption: View of the Matenadaran
Museum.location: 53 Mashtots Avenue, Kentron District, Yerevan, Armenia
Museum.type: Art museum, archive, research institute
Museum.collection_size: ~23,000 manuscripts and scrolls (including fragments)
Museum.visitors: 132,600 (2019)
Museum.director: Arayik Khzmalyan
Museum.architect: Mark Grigorian, Arthur Meschian
Museum.owner: Government of Armenia, Ministry of Education and Science

~28 min read

Article

28 sections

Contents

Name
History
Historic predecessors
Background
Modern Matenadaran
Architecture
Main building
Interiors
Reception
Statues
New building
Museum
Collection
Notable manuscripts
Other items
Publications
Catalogs
''Banber Matenadarani''
Significance and recognition
Tributes
People
Directors
Notable researchers
See also
References
Bibliography
Further reading
External links

It was established in 1959 on the basis of the nationalized collection of the Armenian Church, formerly held at Etchmiadzin. Its collection has gradually expanded since its establishment, mostly from individual donations. One of the most prominent landmarks of Yerevan, it is named after Mesrop Mashtots, the inventor of the Armenian alphabet, whose statue stands in front of the building. Its collection is included in the register of the UNESCO Memory of the World program.