Having toured around on the metro I just had enough time to visit the State History Museum next to my hotel before I had to check out at noon. I had tried coming on my first day but it opens at 10am and I didnt have time that day.

Entrance was 6000 Som ($3). I think there was a camera fee but I didnt get the ticket. They are doing renovations so you have to come thru the basement entrance and backup to the entrance level.

First they had a small free exhibition on Korea. It was interesting seeing the things I had seen so many times in Korea. Uzbekistan has a large Korean diaspora going back several generations so there was local value to the exhibit also

The main hall has a giant staircase with an inscription from the President of Uzbekistan. After that were two floors of exhibits.

The first floor started with the Afrosiab site in Samarkand and many of the excavated items that have been found there

This section continued with early Uzbek culture and some Buddhist relics. There were also Pre-Islamic figurines and other clay carvings

There were also many damaged pieces from different statues.

As well they had some incomplete stone carvings and portraits

They had a copy of the worlds oldest Koran in Kufic style writing. We would later see the original at the Khast Imam Complex but no photography was allowed there.

They then had a section on Islamic science and discovery and some of the places and things I'd already seen on my travels

On the upper floor was a wraparound mural by the staircase. This led round to some arabian style copperware, and items from their modern history

They had a copy of a clock that had cracked and froze during their last major earthquake in the 1960s. There were also ceramic plates and photos of the inside of the metro since no photography is allowed there

There were illustrations of the route network for Uzbek Airways and the state railway. This was good since no photos are allowed at airports and train stations even of pictures like this which have no security purpose

There was a clothing section but all the attendants were sitting there talking. Finally after the staircase down there was another clothing exhibit back by the main doors

Also on the basement level were some more public murals. It was a nice and interesting museum, good if you dont have the opportunity to travel in Uzbekistan and see historical places for yourself.