Baghdadi Museum

Baghdad, Iraq

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The Baghdadi Museum in Baghdad, Iraq, offers an immersive look into the city's rich history and traditional daily life, with an emphasis on folk heritage, crafts, and local customs.

Located near the Tigris River in a historic building dating to 1869, the museum was established in 1940 and features around 70-77 detailed scenes using over 380 life-size models that vividly portray everything from household rituals and matriarchal family structures to wedding celebrations, traditional crafts, professions, and street life.

The exhibits, often described as reminiscent of One Thousand and One Nights, allow visitors to experience the atmosphere of old Baghdad, showcasing artifacts from Mesopotamian, Islamic, and Ottoman periods, including manuscripts, costumes, household items, and artistic recreations of significant cultural events.

Despite suffering damage and closure during the Iraq War in 2003, the museum officially reopened in 2008 and continues to serve as a cultural treasure, allowing newer generations and international visitors to connect with Baghdad’s vibrant social traditions and architectural heritage.