One of Tashkent’s most impressive attractions is the Islamic Civilization Center, a magnificent architectural complex dedicated to exploring the history, culture and intellectual achievements of Uzbekistan and the wider Islamic world.
Opened in March 2026, the center combines ancient manuscripts, historical artifacts, interactive exhibitions and modern technology in a building that is an attraction in its own right.
TABLE CONTENTS: ISLAMIC CIVILIZATION CENTER, TASHKENT
I visited in August 2026 and was immediately struck by the scale of the building and the intricate details of its architecture. Inside, an English-speaking guided tour took me through the different periods of Central Asian history, culminating in a visit to the remarkable Hall of the Holy Qur’an.
| 📌 QUICK FACTS FOR YOUR VISIT TO THE ISLAMIC CIVILIZATION CENTER | |
|---|---|
| 📍 Location: 47 Karasaray Street, Tashkent, Uzbekistan | 🕘 Opening Hours: 9AM to 10PM every day of the week |
| 👔 Dress Code: Conservative clothing, including long pants and covered shoulders | 🎟️ Entrance Fee: About 30 US dollars for foreign visitors |
| ⏳ Time Needed for Visit: At least three hours, including the two-hour organized tour | ⭐ Worth Visiting: A must-visit cultural experience in Tashkent |
A Monumental Building
You may have already seen the Islamic Civilization Center on social media. The building itself is part of the attraction, before you even step inside the museum with its extensive history of Islam. The first thing you will notice is the size of the building. Designed to reflect the architectural traditions of Central Asia, the complex combines monumental entrances, intricate decorative details and a striking central dome.
Do yourself a favor and arrive around an hour before opening time. By doing so you will have the chance to wander around the center, take some photos with minimal other people around and even get up close to the external doors and admire their designs. I arrived around 8AM and was first in line to get tickets when the ticket booth opened.
The building covers an area of more than ten hectares, with four impressive portals rising 34 meters tall. At its center stands a dome reaching 65 meters tall.
Traditional Islamic architectural motifs give the structure a sense of grandeur, while the carefully designed interiors create an impressive setting for the exhibitions. The turquoise mosaics are complemented by the gold exterior doors that glisten in the morning sun.
The building is intended to evoke the great architectural achievements of earlier Central Asian civilizations while presenting their legacy in a thoroughly beautiful and modern environment.
The Islamic Civilization Center is within walking distance of the historic Hazrati Imam complex. This makes it a natural addition to a visit to one of Tashkent’s most important historic districts.
More Than a Museum
The Islamic Civilization Center is designed to do more than display artifacts. Its purpose is to explain the historical development of the region and highlight the contributions made by its scholars, scientists, artists and religious thinkers.
The exhibitions follow a broad chronological journey, beginning with the pre-Islamic civilizations of Central Asia and continuing through the Islamic Golden Age, the Timurid period and modern Uzbekistan.
This approach is particularly interesting because the history of the region did not begin with the arrival of Islam. Long before that, Central Asia was home to established civilizations that developed their own traditions of trade, art, architecture and learning.
The exhibitions explore how these different cultural influences interacted over time, helping to create the rich heritage that visitors encounter today in cities such as Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva.
When I visited, I joined the English-speaking tour, presented by a lovely local lady. The tour took nearly two hours and moved in a reasonably structured and efficient manner. Starting from the large open area on the first floor, you will first see the impressive mosaics depicting ancient Islamic scenes, as well as a model of the whole Islamic Civilization Center. Here you will be given the chance to check your Bluetooth audio and take many photos before heading off to the hall with collections from the Pre-Islamic Era.
The museum then takes you on a tour of the First Renaissance Era, the Second Renaissance Era and the era of the new Uzbekistan. The tour ends at The Hall of the Holy Qur’an.
The Hall of the Holy Qur’an
The Hall of the Holy Qur’an lies at the heart of the Islamic Civilization Center and is one of its most significant attractions. Here, the famous Uthman Qur’an, a manuscript traditionally associated with Caliph Uthman, is carefully preserved and displayed. Dating from the seventh century, it is one of the most important surviving treasures associated with early Islamic history.
The presentation is a fitting culmination to the guided tour. A ten-minute audiovisual display introduces the significance of the Qur’an and Islam, while the striking modern installation creates an impressive setting for the manuscript.
For Muslim visitors, this is an especially significant part of the complex. For other travelers, it offers an opportunity to learn more about a manuscript tradition that has played a central role in religious and cultural history.
The Golden Age of Islamic Learning
One of the center’s principal themes is the extraordinary contribution of scholars from the Islamic world to mathematics, astronomy, medicine, philosophy and other fields of knowledge.
During the centuries commonly associated with the Islamic Golden Age, scholars working across the region helped preserve, develop and transmit knowledge that influenced later generations around the world.
The center uses displays and interactive technology to introduce visitors to important thinkers and their discoveries. Digital installations bring historical figures to life, making their ideas more accessible than they might be in a conventional museum.
For travelers who want to understand why Central Asia occupies such an important place in world history, this provides useful context for the architectural monuments, madrassas and historic cities encountered elsewhere in Uzbekistan. For example, you will see a model of the Ulugh Beg Observatory in preparation for your visit to Samarkand later in your vacation.
History Meets Modern Technology
Another distinctive feature of the center is the way it combines historical material with contemporary presentation.
Rather than relying entirely on traditional display cases and explanatory panels, the exhibitions incorporate multimedia installations, digital reconstructions and interactive experiences. These help visitors explore different periods of Central Asian history and understand how people lived, worked and developed new ideas.
The approach is intended to make the subject accessible to a wide audience, including younger visitors who will find interactive displays more engaging than conventional museum exhibits.
The center also looks toward the future, presenting Uzbekistan’s cultural heritage as part of the country’s modern national identity and its ambitions to promote education, research and international cultural exchange.
Is the Islamic Civilization Center Worth Visiting?
For anyone planning a trip to Tashkent, the Islamic Civilization Center is a must-visit attraction alongside the city’s historic mosques, traditional markets and other cultural attractions. To be fair, the entry fee to the Islamic Civilization Center is quite expensive. I paid nearly 30 dollars for my ticket. But I found the center fascinating and it was one of the many highlights of my visit to Tashkent.
The impressive architecture of the center makes it worth seeing from the outside, while the exhibitions inside offer a broader understanding of Uzbekistan’s place in the history of Central Asia and the Islamic world.
The center is particularly relevant if you are visiting other historic destinations in Uzbekistan. Understanding the region’s intellectual and cultural development can add another dimension to the monuments and historic buildings found in Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva.
The Islamic Civilization Center represents an ambitious attempt to bring Uzbekistan’s past into conversation with its future. For travelers interested in discovering the country beyond its famous Silk Road cities, it offers another perspective on the remarkable civilization that developed in this part of the world.
Make sure you include the Islamic Civilization Center on your travel plans for Uzbekistan.
Find the Islamic Civilization Center on Google Maps.
When I visited Tashkent, I stayed at the very impressive Intercontinental Tashkent by IHG.
Otherwise consider other accommodation options in Tashkent by using the search box below.
Consider reading other posts on Uzbekistan by Two Passports Packed.
(Visited in August 2026)