TEHRAN –The historical mansion of Memarian in north-central Semnan province is planned to be turned into a children's museum after being fully restored, Semnan’s mayor has announced.

Measuring 600 square meters in area, the mansion dates back to the late Qajar era (1789–1925) and the early Pahlavi period (1925-1979).

The museum will be dedicated to children with an emphasis on their social, emotional, personal, and intellectual development, CHTN quoted Mohammad Nazem Razavi as saying on Sunday.

As regards designing and planning for children’s museums, architects, industrial designers, educational specialists, and a wide range of experts from various scientific fields are actively involved in the process, the official explained.

The children's museums are based on the ideas of non-formal education, indirect education, and education through play and entertainment, he added.

The main population centers of Semnan province lie along the ancient Silk Road (and modern-day Imam Reza Expressway), linking Rey (Tehran) with Khorasan (Mashhad). While few visitors spend much time in the area, driving through you can easily seek out several well-preserved caravanserais (notably Dehnamak and Ahowan), cisterns (the Cafe Abenbar in Garmsar is a special treat), and ruined mud citadels (Padeh is lumpy but fascinating). The large, bustling cities of Semnan, Damghan, and Shahrud (Bastam) all have a small selection of historic buildings and Semnan has a fine old covered bazaar.

Some three million historical objects are currently being kept in Iranian museums which are affiliated with the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts.

“There are many historical relics that are owned by private collectors and entities and the government cannot act in order to preserve them in the museums; therefore, we made efforts that this [cultural] heritage to be conserved and showcased in [their] private museums,” according to Mohammadreza Kargar who presides over the ministry’s museums and historical properties department.

ABU/MG