Termez Archaeological Museum, Termez

The Termez Archaeological Museum is one of Uzbekistan’s leading museums, showcasing an extensive collection of exhibits from different eras, including artifacts from ancient Greek, Kushan, and Islamic cultures. Opened in 2002 to mark the 2,500th anniversary of the city, the museum underscores Termez’s role as one of the region’s oldest cultural centers. Today, it serves not only as a treasury of rare objects but also as a hub for scientific research, international exhibitions, and educational programs.

Exhibition

The museum features 10 themed rooms, each dedicated to a particular historical period or cultural layer. The first gallery presents a striking display of rare stone and plaster sculptures, large ceramic vessels (humas), an ancient stone basin, and a detailed map of the Surkhandarya region marking 20 archaeological sites that reflect its diverse past.

The remaining nine halls highlight discoveries from large-scale archaeological excavations. Here visitors encounter both rudimentary stone tools once used by early humans and refined works of art created by master craftsmen of antiquity.

In total, the collection comprises more than 40,000 exhibits spanning multiple disciplines - painting, sculpture, numismatics, archaeology, and beyond. Complementing the displays is a scientific library of over 17,000 rare volumes, including Persian and Arabic manuscripts and early printed editions.

The Buddhist heritage of ancient Termez

A significant section of the museum is devoted to Buddhist culture, which thrived here in the 1st to 3rd centuries AD during the Great Kushan Empire. At that time, Termez and its surrounding lands were a major Buddhist center. Excavations have uncovered monasteries and temples, yielding exceptional finds now housed in the museum. These include stone and plaster statues of Buddha as well as fragments of stupas and temple architecture, offering a clear view of the development of Buddhist art and architecture in the region.

The highlight of the collection is a group of Buddhist sculptures illustrating the fusion of Greco-Bactrian and Indian artistic traditions. These pieces reflect the rich cultural exchange that shaped ancient Bactria. Alongside them, ceramics and household objects from Kampyrtepa, Fayaztepa, Dalverzintepe, and other sites reveal the everyday lives of monks and lay Buddhists in the Surkhandarya region.

Architecture

The museum building itself is a striking blend of traditional Eastern motifs and modern design.

Its exterior follows the style of Central Asian architecture: the imposing dome above the central hall recalls medieval mausoleums and madrasahs, while the facade is decorated with mosaics and painted majolica inspired by the region’s historic monuments. Light-colored stone and terracotta tiles harmonize with the surrounding landscape, and the white carved columns at the entrance lend a sense of grandeur, echoing the architectural heritage of ancient Termez.