In a press conference held at the museum, curator Musa Haqqani gave some details about the museum.
“Iran’s Majlis is over 100 years old, one of the oldest parliaments in the world, and was officially established concurrent with the Constitutional Movement,” he said.
Iran’s Constitutional Movement took place between 1905 and 1911 and led to the establishment of a parliament in Iran.
“In 1931, the Majlis board of directors decided to establish a museum. A series of paintings, items and artworks by master Kamalolmolk were the primary possessions of the museum.
“The museum was closed for several years and then reopened after the Islamic Revolution but was closed a second time when the Majlis was relocated to a new building nearby.”
He continued, “A collection of new items have been added to the existing collection of the newly reopened museum.
“Documents revealing the events leading to the Constitutional Movement as well as the events which were somehow related to the history of Majlis have been put on display.
Visitors are first acquainted with the entire museum by a short film screened on a TV set, and then begin a tour and see its different sections,” he explained.
“The walls are decorated with photos and paintings. Lighting is also unique in the building. Several sculptures of famous figures including Ayatollah Seyyed Hassan Modarres, Baqer Khan, Sattar Khan, and Mohammad Mosaddeq are also set up in different corners.
Different documents revealing the decree signed by the Qajar king Mozafareddin Shah, and the document revealing cheating in Majlis election ordered by Reza Shah Pahlavi are some of the items on show.
Personal items belonging to political activist and Islamic nationalist Jamaleddin Asadabadi as well as handicrafts from several cities are on exhibit.
Valuable items donated by foreign high-ranking officials to former Majlis speakers are also on show.
RM/YAW
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MNA