MUSEUMS AND GALLERIES

The exhibition of the museum consists of two main parts: The participation of the Armenian people in the World War II and Artsakh Liberation War.

The Mother Armenia Memorial is located in the capital of Armenia, Yerevan. It was built to commemorate the victory of the USSR in the World War II. The memorial was opened on November 29, 1950, on the 30th anniversary of the establishment of Soviet power in Armenia, in the Victory (Haghtanak) Park.

The author of the memorial is Rafael Israelian, People's Architect of the USSR. A 17-meter high forged copper statue of Joseph Stalin by Soviet People's Artist Sergei Merkurov was installed on the pedestal. A massive pedestal with a stepped end is made of granite, the motives of the national ornament - stone carving - are used. It was originally intended for the Museum of the World War II. Inside there are three floors of premises with large halls. Outside, the pedestal is trimmed with black Armenian tuff, the lower platform and basalt steps. On the obverse there is a bas-relief in the form of the Order of Victory.

In 1962, the sculpture of Stalin was dismantled. In 1967, a 22-meter statue "Mother Armenia" by sculptor Ara Harutyunyan was installed on an empty pedestal. There was no official opening ceremony. The sculptor managed to establish a connection between the new sculpture and the old pedestal both in composition and in decorative details. The surviving fragments of Stalin's sculpture (an eye and a shoe) helped him find a balance between the size of the old and the new monument.

The sculpture is made of hammered copper and symbolizes the power and greatness of the Motherland. Represents the image of a mother sheathed the sword. There is a shield at the mother's feet. She has a "mole" on her forehead, covered with thin sheets of gold. The sculpture is characterized by a stylized shape of the hands, strict features of clothing.

In 1970, a museum of the World War II was opened at the base of the monument. In 1995, it was renamed into the "Mother Armenia" Museum of military history, and since that time it has been under the jurisdiction of the Armenian Ministry of Defense. The museum has two main sections dedicated to the World War II and the Artsahk Liberation War.

The museum has over 30,000 exhibits. The section on the World War II tells about the participation of the Armenian people in it. The ground floor displays materials about Armenian soldiers of the World War II and their military campaigns, as well as personal belongings of Marshal Hovhannes Baghramyan.

The gallery on the second floor presents documents, photographs, descriptive materials of the military actions of the Artsakh war.

Various samples of Soviet weapons are exhibited around the pedestal. Among them are an armored infantry vehicle, an armored vehicle-152, a T-34 tank, a MiG-19 aircraft, a Katyusha BM-13, a 76 mm anti-aircraft machine gun, and an S-75 anti-aircraft missile system.

WORKING HOURS

Tuesday - Friday 10:00 -17:00 

Saturday - Sunday 10:00 -15:00 

Monday: Closed

Admission is free.