The History and Development of Museums in Azerbaijan: a National and Comparative Perspective

The museum tradition in Azerbaijan plays a central role in preserving national identity and collective memory. The establishment of the Istiglal Museum in 1919 marked a historic milestone, setting the stage for museum development throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. This paper examines the historical trajectory and institutional evolution of Azerbaijani museums across political eras, particularly focusing on their transformation from ideological tools in the Soviet era to vibrant cultural and educational spaces in the post-independence period. In addition, the study situates Azerbaijani museology within a broader regional context by drawing on Turkish scholarly perspectives on museum studies and heritage preservation. Turkish researchers such as Zeynep Yasa Yaman and Ayşe Çakır Ilıcalı offer valuable insights into the role of museums in national identity construction, participatory museum practices, and modern curatorial strategies, many of which are increasingly relevant to Azerbaijan’s cultural strategy. The inclusion of comparative literature helps underscore shared post-Ottoman and post-Soviet challenges in museum transformation, modernization, and public engagement. By drawing on Azerbaijani and Turkish sources, this paper contributes to a nuanced understanding of museum development in the region and the interdisciplinary academic field of museum studies.