The name Persia, deriving from the word Fars, a province located in
Southwestern Iran, stands for a vast empire which ruled over an enormous territory, extending from the highlands of Iran to Central Asia between the 5th and the 7th centuries B.C.E. The Persian Civilization and its culture undoubtedly marked an important epoch in the history of the world.

The special exhibition ¡°The Glory of Persia¡± exhibits artifacts from the period of the Archaemenid dynasty, the Sassanian dynasty as well as other of their preceding periods. The artifacts have been loaned by five national Iranian museums, including the National Museum of Iran and the Persepolis Museum.

Exhibition artifacts, including gold items that demonstrate the greatness of the
Persian Empire, as well as prehistoric potteries and bronze ware that attest to
the long history of Iran, shed a new light on the understanding of the culture of Persia and Iran. In addition, artifacts from Silla, Geongju, on the eastern end of  the Asian Continent, reveal the ancient trade connections between the East and the West along the Silk Road.   

[Persian Gold]
Gold artifacts from Persia, which symbolize the splendid culture of the Persian Empire, truly represent the culmination of the Iranian Civilization. Objects excavated in Hamadan as well as various other items including personal ornaments, metal coins, and cylinder seals will be exhibited.

[Iranian Prehistory and Start of Civilization]
In the Iranian region, the start of agriculture, formation of cities, such as Susa, and establishment of the kingdom of Elam and Media took place in the 5th century B.C.E. Artifacts such as prehistoric potteries and Lorestan bronze ware elucidate the formation process of the prehistoric culture in Iran.

[Birth of the Persian Empire: The Achaemenid Dynasty (559 B.C.E-330 B.C.E)]
The Achaemenid Dynasty constructed an empire which stretched from the Indus Valley to the northern tip of Africa. Cyrus the Great exercised lenient policies toward conquered people, as did Darius the Great. The empire had a dependable network of officials, an efficient road system and an extensive canal.

[Hellenism and Parthia (247B.C.E- 224 C.E.)]
After the military campaign of Alexander the Great, the king of Macedonia, Persia came under the rule of the Seleucid dynasty. Artifacts from this period show that the Seleucid dynasty, heavily influenced by Hellenism and Rome, strove to express themselves in their own unique way.

[Resurrection of the Empire: The Sassanian Empire (224 C.E-651 C.E.)]
The Sassanian dynasty amassed wealth through trade activity along the Silk Road, and this exchange of material culture aided the spread of Persian art and culture.
The Persian influence disseminated through Central Asia and China, and, along the aforementioned trade route, into Silla. The last part of the exhibition offers
artifacts from Silla and the unified Silla period, including glass cups and gold
daggers.

[Educational Programs and Events]
¤·Educational Programs
The educational programs are designed to aid comprehension of the special exhibition ¡°The Glory of Persia.¡± Lectures, hands-on experiences and other diverse activities will offer participants opportunities to experience a new culture. Furthermore, a brief look at another culture will provide a chance to appraise that of our own through comparison.