TEHRAN–A museum dedicated to audio and visual equipment was officially inaugurated in the southern Kerman province on Sunday.

The museum, which is the largest of its kind in the country, opened its door to the public on the occasion of Government Week (August 24-30), said an official with the tourism ministry.

The museum was set up inside a Qajar-era (1789-1925) mansion, which has been fully restored, Javad Vahedi explained, CHTN reported.

A budget of 760 billion rials ($2.6 million) was allocated to the restoration project, he added.

The museum displays 300 pieces of historical audio and audiovisual equipment, the official noted.

Kerman has been a cultural melting pot since antiquity, blending Persians with subcontinental tribe dwellers. It is home to myriad historical sites and scenic landscapes such as Bazaar-e Sartasari, Jabalieh Dome, Ganjali Khan Bathhouse, Malek Jameh Mosque, and Shahdad Desert, to name a few.

The UNESCO-tagged Bam and its Cultural Landscape is located on the southern edge of the Iranian high plateau, in Kerman province, close to the Pakistan border. It’s highly regarded as an outstanding example of an ancient fortified settlement.

According to UNESCO, the origins of the citadel can be traced back to the Achaemenid period (6th to 4th centuries BC) and even beyond. The ensemble was at the crossroads of important trade routes as well in its heyday sometime between the 7th to 11th centuries. The massive fortress and its environs were almost completely brought down to earth due to a devastating earthquake on December 26, 2003.

ABU/AM