In 885, Armenia’s independent statehood was restored. When Ashot I Bagratid was proclaimed King of Armenia in the city of Bagaran and Ani became the capital of Armenia in 961, the city building started. By the end of the 10th century, Ani was a typical medieval city with a citadel and suburbs. Ani had forty gates to regulate all comings and goings, each with its own name.

Dvin was the royal domain of the Armenian Arsacid kings of the 5th century and the Holy See of the Armenian Church. Six trade routes started from Dvin, connecting the city with Iran, Iraq, Syria, the Byzantine Empire and the countries of the Mediterranean basin. The products of the famous workshops of these countries were imported, and Armenian goods – precious stones, vegetable dyes and other natural resources, as well as the products of Dvin craftsmen (ceramics, fabrics) – were exported far beyond the borders of the country.

The exhibition presents:

• A section presenting the reconstruction of the Ani Museum of Antiquities.
• A section dedicated to the activities of the Ani Archaeological Expedition.
• The capital of Ani in all its splendour and diversity is presented in a separate hall, where animated films on various objects and films dedicated to the Ani School of Architecture are also shown.
• Examples of Armenian pottery from the 10th-13th centuries: porcelain vessels, jars with ornamental bands, plates, trays with images of animals, birds and trees of life.
• Exclusive examples of glassware from the 11th-13th centuries, including a unique flask with the image of a violinist.