Aliyeh Shirazi and the Museum: The Museum in an Iranian Woman's Travelogue in the Nineteenth Century

A rare firsthand account by Aliyeh Shirazi, an Iranian woman traveler, sheds light on the early Iranian museums established under Naser al-Din Shah Qajar. Her 1892 pilgrimage journey from Kerman to Mecca, passing through Mumbai and Tehran, included visits to a royal collection in Mumbai and Iran's first modern museum at Golestan Palace. Her brief but detailed observations provide overlooked insights into these historical collections, complementing existing accounts by male courtiers and Western travelers. This study highlights the significance of Shirazi's narrative in expanding our understanding of Iran's museum history during the 19th century.

Jahangirfar, M. (2026). Aliyeh Shirazi and the Museum: The Museum in an Iranian Woman's Travelogue in the Nineteenth Century. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.21395014