TEHRAN –- The exhibition “Forgotten Empire: The World of Ancient Persia” opened in Barcelona on March 7, the Persian service of CHN reported on Tuesday.

Several Iranian and Spanish cultural figures attended the opening ceremony at the Kaisha Foundation.

Experts believe that the exhibition is the largest of its kind on the history of the Achaemenid dynasty.

About 400 artifacts are on display from the collections of Iranian museums such as the National Museum of Iran and the Persepolis and Hegmataneh (Ecbatana) museums and from the Louvre and the British Museum.

Almost 150,000 people visited the exhibition during its recent run in London, far surpassing the 80,000 visitors organizers had anticipated.

A number of special events were held on the sidelines of the exhibition in London including film screenings, concerts, guest lectures, and workshops and sessions in which issues such as the economy, art, government system, social security, and women’s rights in the Achaemenid era were discussed.