TEHRAN – Iran’s cultural heritage sector has marked a significant milestone with the simultaneous inauguration of four specialized international art academies in the cities of Tehran, Ramsar and Isfahan.

The launch ceremony took place on Wednesday, Oct. 15, at Tehran’s Museum of Time, with other academies joining virtually. The event aimed to strengthen the connection between cultural heritage, contemporary art, and modern academic disciplines, attracting top cultural officials and prominent university figures.

Addressing the inauguration ceremony, Hamidreza Soleimani, CEO of the Dafineh Museums Institute under the Mostazafan Foundation, described the initiative as a turning point in transforming museums from mere exhibition spaces into “living, dynamic universities.”

Soleimani emphasized that museums are repositories of knowledge that must be translated into contemporary language and passed on to younger generations. He called the opening of these four academies “not an administrative beginning but the birth of four new intellectual currents that will globalize Iran’s heritage.”

The four academies, each located within major museums across the country, will focus on distinct fields:

Another speaker at the event was, Seyyed Ahmad Mohit-Tabatabai, head of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) Iran, who emphasizing international standards. He stated the new academies align with global museum trends that favor active institutions producing content and serving as specialized knowledge centers. “Joining the international education network will double Iran’s cultural credibility,” he added.

Moreover, Tehran Municipality’s tourism headquarters chief, Amir Qasemi, highlighted the academies’ role in enhancing the capital’s tourism brand and attracting academic and research-oriented visitors.

In conjunction with the academies’ launch, Soleimani announced that Tehran’s Parsian Enghelab Hotel will be transformed into the country’s first art museum hotel. This facility will showcase elements of Iran’s rich Islamic artistic heritage and cater to both domestic and international tourists.

The Mostazafan Foundation, a major Iranian organization dedicated to social welfare and cultural preservation, operates the Dafineh Museums Group as part of its broader mission to empower marginalized communities by facilitating access to culture and history.

AM