TEHRAN -- The Harandi Garden Museum in Kerman is soon to be transformed into the national museum of music.

The Harandi museum is currently the only location in the country housing ancient musical instruments, and it will continue activities as the national museum of music from May 2008, the Persian service of CHN reported on Sunday.
“The musical instruments kept at the museum are currently being renovated and experts have commenced on a project to hunt down and purchase instruments in Kerman and other regions,” head of the museum complex, Ali Bani-Asadi told CHN.
He added that it was agreed that the Harandi Garden venue be converted into the national museum of music after the president’s visit to the province during which adequate funds for the scheme were allocated.
Bani-Asadi continued that the museum is currently preparing itself for an influx of visitors during the Noruz holidays.
The Harandi Garden Museum was opened in 2002 with 250 musical instruments created by masters on display.
The Harandi complex dates back to the Qajar era and was built to the orders of an army officer named Adl us-Saltaneh. It was sold to Abolqassem Harandi, a Kermani businessman in 1934.
The complex found fame after Reza Shah made a short stopover there during his journey into exile. Even the automobile used by Reza Shah during his short stay has been put on display at the site.
The complex was later donated to the then ministry of art and culture.
It was used as Kerman’s department of Culture and Islamic Guidance for a while and afterwards converted into a museum. Its ground floor is currently being used as a museum of traditional musical instruments and the first floor is home to an anthropology museum.