# Matenadaran, Yerevan > The Matenadaran — officially the Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts — is Armenia’s great library of medieval books and a museum you can visit. It opens **Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00–17:50**, and is closed on Sundays and Mondays. Adult tickets are **2,000 AMD**, ages 6–18 pay 1,000. Allow 1–1.5 hours, more with a guide. It sits at the top of Mashtots Avenue, a 25-minute walk from Republic Square. Web page: https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/matenadaran - City: [Yerevan](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan), Armenia - YesGo score: 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h 15 min - Entry: 2,000 AMD, under 6 free - With kids: Fine with kids - Adult ticket: 2,000 AMD - Ages 6–18: 1,000 AMD - Under 6: Free - Guide in English (or Russian, French, German, Italian, Spanish): 5,000 AMD per group of up to 10; 7,000 AMD for 11 or more - Opening hours: Tuesday–Saturday, 10:00–17:50 - Closed: Sundays, Mondays, public holidays and remembrance days - Free entry day: Last Saturday of the month — Armenian citizens only - Groups of more than 5: Book the visit with the museum in advance - Audio guide: Announced by the museum; ask at the desk whether it is running yet - Photos inside: Rules vary between sources; professional cameras need the director’s permission - Payment: Carry some dram cash in case the desk does not take your card - Address: 53 Mashtots Avenue - Getting there: ≈ 25 min on foot from Republic Square, or metro to Yeritasardakan and ≈ 10 min walk - Coordinates: 40.19207, 44.52113 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **Tue–Sat** — museum days, 10:00–17:50; closed Sundays and Mondays (source: Matenadaran official website) - **2,000 AMD** — adult ticket; 1,000 AMD for ages 6–18, free under 6 (source: Matenadaran official website) - **≈ 23,000** — manuscripts and fragments; counts without fragments say over 17,000 (source: English Wikipedia; Russian Wikipedia and Armenia Travel (over 17,000 manuscripts)) - **1997** — the collection joined UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register (source: English Wikipedia; Russian Wikipedia (no year given)) - **27.5 kg** — weight of the Homilies of Mush (1200–1202), the largest Armenian manuscript (source: AGBU; Aybuben (Armenia Travel gives about 28 kg)) - **989** — the Etchmiadzin Gospel, bound in carved ivory panels, probably older than the book (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **887** — the Lazarian Gospel, one of the oldest complete Armenian books (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **1945–1957** — the main building went up, designed by architect Mark Grigoryan (source: Matenadaran official website; English Wikipedia) - **1920** — the Etchmiadzin manuscript collection was nationalised (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **1939** — the manuscripts moved from Etchmiadzin to Yerevan (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) - **3 March 1959** — the Matenadaran became a research institute (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) > **Closed on Sundays and Mondays** The museum opens only Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00–17:50, and also shuts on public holidays and remembrance days. The official site calls Sunday and Monday “free days” — that means days off, not free admission. Arrive by about 16:30 to see the halls without rushing. ## Matenadaran tickets and prices An adult ticket costs **2,000 AMD**; ages 6–18 pay 1,000 AMD and children under 6 go free. The cheaper 300 AMD rate is for Armenian school pupils and students, and the free last Saturday of the month is for Armenian citizens only — as a foreign visitor, plan on the full price. You buy tickets at the desk on the day. Groups of more than five should arrange the visit in advance, but individual travellers rarely need to book anything except a guide. Payment: cards are widely used in Yerevan, but the museum does not say what its desk accepts, so carry a few thousand drams in cash. Russian Mir cards work only patchily in Armenia. ## Is there an English-speaking guide? Yes. The museum provides guides in **English**, Russian, French, German, Italian and Spanish. A foreign-language guide costs **5,000 AMD for a group of up to 10**, or 7,000 AMD for 11 or more — on top of the entry tickets. Phone the ticket desk a day or two ahead; walk-ins get a guide only if one is free. It is worth it here more than in most museums. Labels are brief, and the best part of the Matenadaran is the stories behind the books — who copied them, where they were hidden, how they were ransomed. The museum has announced a new audio guide system for the halls; ask at the desk whether it is running when you visit. There is also a hands-on lab, “Know-How, Arts and Crafts in Medieval Armenia”, on parchment, pigments and miniature painting with a short master class: 1,000 AMD with a museum ticket, about 90 minutes. ## Is the Matenadaran worth visiting? If you have a full day in Yerevan, yes. It is the country’s most important museum of its own writing — the place that explains why the Armenian alphabet, invented by Mesrop Mashtots in the early 5th century, matters so much here. The illuminated Gospels are genuinely beautiful even if you cannot read a word. It is less rewarding if you dislike museums with glass cases and dim light, or if you come without a guide and skip the labels. In that case the free outside — the façade, the statues and the view down Mashtots Avenue — gives you the essence in ten minutes. The collection grew from the manuscripts kept at Etchmiadzin for centuries. They were nationalised in 1920, moved to Yerevan in 1939, and the Matenadaran became a research institute in 1959. In 1997 the collection joined UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register. ## What to see inside - **The central hall** — the story of the Armenian book from the alphabet to the 18th century: Gospels, chronicles, philosophy and miniatures. - **The Homilies of Mush** — the largest Armenian manuscript, about 27.5 kg. Two village women rescued it in 1915 and carried it to Armenia. - **The Etchmiadzin Gospel of 989** — its carved ivory covers, probably 6th-century, are older than the pages. - **The Lazarian Gospel of 887** — one of the oldest complete Armenian books. - **The Hall of Maps** — old maps of Armenia and its neighbours across the ages. - **Foreign-language manuscripts** — Arabic, Persian, Greek, Latin and Syriac books. - **Medieval medicine** — healing manuals and herbals with drawings. - **Outside** — Mesrop Mashtots with his pupil Koryun before the steps, and statues of medieval scholars such as Movses Khorenatsi, Toros Roslin and Anania Shirakatsi. ## How to get to the Matenadaran 1. From [Republic Square](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/yerevan-republic-square), walk north along [Northern Avenue](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/yerevan-northern-avenue) to the Opera House — 7–10 minutes. 2. From the Opera, turn onto Mashtots Avenue and head north uphill. The Matenadaran closes the avenue at the very top — about 15 minutes more. 3. The whole walk takes about 25 minutes; the last stretch is a gentle climb. 4. By metro: one stop from Hanrapetutyan Hraparak (Republic Square) to Yeritasardakan, then about 10 minutes on foot. Fares are cashless — a contactless card, a transport card or the Telcell app; check whether your foreign card works at the validator. 5. By taxi: Yandex Go or GG, address “53 Mashtots Avenue”. The entrance is up the steps past the Mashtots statue. ## How long do you need? Plan **1–1.5 hours** for the main halls on your own and about two hours with a guide or the crafts lab. Combine it with the [Cascade](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/yerevan-cascade), 10–15 minutes’ walk away: museum first while it is open, Cascade later, as its outdoor stairs never close. Mid-day is a good slot. In Yerevan’s summer heat or a winter cold snap, the halls are a comfortable break from the streets. > **Photos: ask first, never use flash** Sources disagree on whether you may photograph inside. The official site says only that professional cameras and video need the director’s permission. Ask the attendant before taking out your phone. The best free shot is outside: the dark basalt façade with the Mashtots statue, from the foot of the steps. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] It is Tuesday to Saturday and not a public holiday - [ ] I can arrive by 16:30 - [ ] A few thousand drams in cash - [ ] Guide booked by phone, or I am happy to wait for one - [ ] More than 5 of us? Visit arranged in advance - [ ] 1–1.5 hours set aside, more with the crafts lab ## Matenadaran, Cascade or Northern Avenue | | Matenadaran | Cascade | Northern Avenue | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Ancient manuscript museum | Stairway, sculpture garden, art centre | Pedestrian street in the centre | | Entry | 2,000 AMD | Free | Free | | When open | Tue–Sat, 10:00–17:50 | Stairs always open | Always | | Time needed | 1–1.5 h | ≈ 1 h | 7–10 min, half an hour with a coffee | | Indoors | Yes | Partly | No | The Matenadaran is the only one of the three you must plan around: it shuts at 17:50 and on two days a week. The Cascade and the avenue can wait for the evening. ## Historic sights in and around Yerevan Every historic place around Yerevan that YesGo has scored. - [Geghard Monastery](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/geghard-monastery) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free - [Garni Temple](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/garni-temple) — YesGo score 47/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · 1,500 AMD - [Republic Square](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/yerevan-republic-square) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free - [Armenian Genocide Memorial (Tsitsernakaberd)](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/tsitsernakaberd) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free; English guide 7,000 AMD per group - [Etchmiadzin Cathedral](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/etchmiadzin-cathedral) — YesGo score 40/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free; treasury 2,000 AMD - [Matenadaran](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/matenadaran) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · 2,000 AMD, under 6 free - [Khor Virap](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/khor-virap) — YesGo score 35/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · Free ## Central Yerevan in half a day: square to manuscripts Republic Square, Northern Avenue, up Mashtots Avenue to the Matenadaran, then down to the Cascade for sunset. YesGo fits in the timing and walks. 1. [Republic Square](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/yerevan-republic-square) — YesGo score 45/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free 2. [Northern Avenue](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/yerevan-northern-avenue) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free 3. [Matenadaran](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/matenadaran) — YesGo score 38/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 15 min · 2,000 AMD, under 6 free 4. [Yerevan Cascade](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/yerevan-cascade) — YesGo score 58/100 (Yes, go) · 1 h · Free ## Not to be confused with “Matenadaran” is also the Armenian word for any manuscript library, and many monasteries had one. The institute has branches elsewhere too. This page covers the main museum at 53 Mashtots Avenue in Yerevan. ## Tips - Go at 10:00 opening on a weekday — the halls are small and a school group can fill one fast. - Heading to [Etchmiadzin](https://yesgo.io/armenia/yerevan/etchmiadzin-cathedral)? Come here first: these are the manuscripts collected there over centuries. - Travelling with kids, book the crafts lab with its master class — making pigments beats staring at glass cases. - Only in Yerevan for a weekend? Saturday is your one chance — it is closed on Sunday and Monday. - Do not count on the free last Saturday — it applies to Armenian citizens only. ## Questions ### How much is the Matenadaran entrance fee? 2,000 AMD for adults, 1,000 AMD for ages 6–18, free under 6. An English-speaking guide is extra: 5,000 AMD for a group of up to 10. ### What are the Matenadaran opening hours? Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00–17:50. It is closed on Sundays, Mondays, public holidays and remembrance days. ### Is the Matenadaran open on Sunday or Monday? No. The official site lists both as days off; Saturday is the only weekend day you can visit. ### Can I get an English-speaking guide? Yes, guides work in English and five other languages. Book by phoning the ticket desk ahead; without a booking you get one only if a guide is free. ### Is the Matenadaran worth visiting? Yes if you have a day or more in Yerevan — it is Armenia’s key museum of its own writing. Short on time, see the façade and statues outside for free. ### How long does a visit take? About 1–1.5 hours on your own, around two hours with a guide or the crafts lab. ### Can you take photos inside? Sources disagree. Officially, professional cameras and video need the director’s permission; ask the attendant about phones and never use flash. ### Where is the Matenadaran and how do I get there? At 53 Mashtots Avenue, at the top of the avenue — about 25 minutes’ walk from Republic Square, or Yeritasardakan metro plus a 10-minute walk. ### What is the Matenadaran? The Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts: a research institute, archive and museum holding about 23,000 Armenian and other manuscripts and fragments. ## How we checked Hours, closed days, ticket and guide prices, the crafts lab and the address come from the Matenadaran’s official website — hence the “official” badge. The site calls Sunday and Monday “free days”; the same page charges a separate fee for visits on non-working days, so these are days off, not free entry. Other facts were checked against at least two sources. Collection size differs: English Wikipedia gives about 23,000 including fragments, Russian Wikipedia and Armenia Travel over 17,000 manuscripts; we show both. The Homilies of Mush weigh 27.5 kg per AGBU and Aybuben, about 28 kg per Armenia Travel. We leave out the smallest manuscript (sources say 19 g or 190 g) and the date of the Vehamor Gospel (7th or 8th century). The audio guide, photo rules, card payment and walking routes are marked “checking”. ## Sources - Matenadaran official website: “Working hours and tickets”, “Museum of Matenadaran”, “Buy tickets” — hours, closed days, prices, guides, halls, address, 30.10.2026 - Matenadaran official website: “The modernisation of Matenadaran is ongoing” (September 2025) — audio guides - English Wikipedia: “Matenadaran”; Russian Wikipedia: “Матенадаран”; Wikidata Q1322278 - Armenia Travel (Armenia’s national tourism portal): “Matenadaran” — halls and collection - AGBU: “The Matenadaran: the other Central Bank of Armenia”; Aybuben: “Matenadaran. Institute of ancient manuscripts” — the Homilies of Mush - Arka Telecom — cashless fares on Yerevan public transport; 2026 travel-finance articles on Mir cards in Armenia --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.