The Best Contemporary Art Galleries and Museums in Yerevan

Arame Art Gallery was first opened in 2003 by Aram Sargsyan, an art collector. In 2012, it expanded and opened a second branch called Mashtots. Both galleries promote work by contemporary Armenian artists and offer exclusive collections at competitive prices. Political figures, famous actors, and Wall Street investors have purchased works here by leading Armenian artists such as Babken Kolozyan, Minas Avetisyan, Hovsep Karalyan, and many others.

The Armenian Center for Contemporary Experimental Art was founded in the 1990s by Armenian-Americans, Edward and Sonia Balassanian. The gallery aims to support contemporary art in Armenia and both attracts international modern artists and promotes local artists abroad. Numerous Armenian artists have made their debut here and earned an international recognition and reputation. ACCEA also creates partnerships between the Armenian artistic diaspora abroad and local art communities to further support Armenian arts and literature.

If you’d like to experience Armenian culture through various types of art, including graphic arts, ceramics, paintings, glass, wood, metal, and embroidery, head to the ArtMix Gallery. With one of the oldest cultures in the world, contemporary Armenian artists at the gallery have decided to incorporate centuries-old techniques in their art, creating beautiful pieces which negotiate traditional and contemporary identity.

The focus of the Cafesjian Center for the Arts is twofold: to bring international artists to Armenia and promote local artists on an international level. Founded by Gerard Cafesjian, the center frequently curates exhibitions from his own private collection of contemporary art. The center also hosts other events such as concerts, workshops, lectures, and film screenings.

Since its foundation in 2001, the gallery has been showcasing art by both up-and-coming gifted Armenian artists, as well as well-renowned names such as Tigran Matulyan, Ashot Hovhannisyan, Anatoly Grigoryan, and Garegin Davtyan. There are two main halls to admire their collection of contemporary paintings; what distinguishes this gallery from many others is the space they give to young Armenian artists for solo exhibitions, offering an important space for them to grow and develop.

This family-owned gallery is one of the most famous of its kind in Armenia, bringing together considerable numbers of sellers and collectors every year. The gallery showcases contemporary artworks by local artists, focusing on sculptures and paintings. Founded by well-known Armenian artists Avetis Berberyan and Noushik Mikeyalian, the gallery displays a high-quality collection that will satisfy even the most critical art experts.

The Naregatsi Art Institute supports Armenia’s arts and culture scene by promoting local artists and creating a forum for art lovers to get together and talk. With the aim of keeping traditional Armenian heritage alive, the Institute – named after a famous Armenian poet of the 11th century, Krikor Naregatsi – encourages creativity and collaboration.

MAMY is the first modern art museum that opened in the former Soviet Union in 1972, and remained one of the most unique centers for modern and contemporary art in the USSR for almost 20 years. Since the collapse of the USSR, the museum has become a favorite place for both locals and tourists who love to admire art. The museum’s very first exhibition displayed works by Armenian artists from the 1960s who had donated their art to the venue. They are still displayed here along with works by younger artists.

If you only have time for one or two galleries on your trip to Yerevan, make sure that one of them is Valmar. The gallery showcases works by one of the most famous Armenian painters of all time, Valmar himself. Every year, he picks a unique theme to use in his art, offering passion, insight, and variety. Additionally, you can view works by his daughter Hripsime Margaryan, a gifted painter and graphic designer, whose work reflects the nature and beauty of the world around her.

Since its opening in 2011, the Dalan Art Gallery has displayed work by 26 contemporary artists of the post-Soviet period. These artists are given the space to host group or solo exhibitions, as well as the possibility of reaching a worldwide audience. What unites each of these artists is their attempt to understand their history in relation to today’s modern world, and to describe it through the means of visual arts.