TEHRAN – A museum devoted to sound and music gear is due to open its doors to the public in the northwestern Iranian city of Tabriz, which will be the capital of Islamic tourism in 2018.

The museum is to contain over 300 items such as various traditional and classical musical instruments that Hossein Sajedi, an Iranian collector and tar virtuoso, has gathered around over the span of three decades. 

It also features a rich archive of indigenous tonal and recorded music, comprising a collection of azan (the Islamic call to worship) soundtracks, pardeh-khani performances, which are dedicated to tragic stories of Muslim leaders , as well as Quran recitations, to name a few.

“The goal of launching the museum is to preserve and introduce Iran’s treasured culture and art as well as promote tourism,” CHTN quoted Sajedi as saying on Saturday.

Antique tube radios, phonographs, vinyl records, turn tables, gramophones, TV sets, loudspeakers, sound recorders, and centuries-old bells are among other objects of the museum, which will be running by the private sector under the auspices of the Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization.  

In December 2015, the inter-governmental Organization of Islamic Cooperation selected Tabriz as the capital of Islamic tourism for 2018. The city was declared a world craft city of carpet weaving by the World Craft in 2016.

Tabriz hosts a number of renowned historical and religious sites, including Jameh Mosque of Tabriz and Arg of Tabriz, and UNESCO-registered Tabriz Historic Bazaar Complex.

PHOTO: A combination photo depicts Hossein Sajedi, an Iranian collector and musician, as well as some of his sound and music gear.

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