TEHRAN – On Saturday, Iran's Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism, and Handicrafts, Ezatollah Zarghami, addressed the issue of the modest ticket prices for museums across the country, comparing them to international standards.

In an interview with the Mehr news agency, Zarghami discussed the relatively low ticket prices for museums in the country, adding “In the case of the National Museum of Iran, [for instance], we do not intend to compare it with the Louvre Museum's entrance fee of 22 euros, but this is where our museums stand.”

“When someone visits the National Museum, they see that it has no less than the Louvre [Museum]."

Regarding a sudden increase in ticket prices for the country's museums from the first day of the year (March 20), Zarghami said: “A ticket price of 30,000 tomans (some half a dollar) for entry into a museum is not a figure seen anywhere in the world!”

This fee is allocated for the renovation, maintenance, and revival of museums. The rate should have increased significantly in previous years, but that didn't happen, the minister explained.

“The amount was not excessive. Nevertheless, special discounts have been considered for agencies that have booked tours in advance.”

He added that many groups also receive discounts for museum entry. Their number is not insignificant, and this increase comes at a time when cinema tickets now cost between 60,000 to 80,000 tomans.

“Saadabad Palace [Complex] spent seven billion tomans solely on water expenses last year. Even organizing the stream passing through the complex has become our responsibility, and we must clean it up. It has 300 staff, and 26 palaces need to be managed. These are substantial figures, and the increase in ticket prices compensates for a small portion of these expenses.”

Zarghami noted that such a rate is still much lower compared to museums in other countries. Of course, we do not intend to compare it with the Louvre Museum's entrance fee of 22 euros, but this is where our museums stand.

“When someone visits Iran's National Museum, they see that we have no less than the Louvre Museum."

The National Museum of Iran is somewhat chock-full of priceless relics that represent various eras of the country’s juicy history. Massive and tiny statues, ceramics, pottery, stone figures, bas-relief carvings, metal objects, textile remains, rare books, and coins are amongst the objects that build up the innumerable collections inside.

AM