State Museum of History of Uzbekistan

The museum is one of the oldest in Central Asia, founded in the late 19th century, and now fills a large modernist building near Amir Timur Square. The displays run in chronological order over several floors.

The archaeology rooms are the strongest part. Look for the finds from Termez and the Surkhandarya valley, including a small Buddha sculpture flanked by monks from Fayaz Tepe, as well as Sogdian ossuaries, coins and wall-painting fragments.

Later halls cover the Timurid era, the khanates of Bukhara, Khiva and Kokand, and the Russian and Soviet periods. Labels are mostly in Uzbek and Russian with some English, so a guide or audio app helps if you want the detail.