Pahlavi Dynasty Museum: Representation of Pahlavi State’s ideology in the 1960s and 1970s

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 PhD Student of Architecture, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran.

2 Professor, Department of Restoration, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran

3 Professor, Department of Architecture, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Purpose: In 1970 Mohammad Reza Shah dedicated Marmar Palace to the city of Tehran in order to form a museum of the Pahlavi dynasty in the building. This study investigates how the state palace turned into a museum and studies the narrative of the museum to clarify the relationship between the museum as a cultural institution and the ideology of the government. It also examines the role of Mohammad Reza Shah in the formation of the museum.
Method and Research Design: This research is written with historical method and descriptive-analytical method and using archival documents and library resources.
Findings and Conclusions: The research findings show that the Pahlavi Dynasty Museum was a cultural institution that was politically exploited. This museum was in fact an institution to propagate the ideology of the Pahlavi government, as well as a representation of the selective history of the government, its progress, and achievements to the nation and the world. In addition, this study shows that despite his minute role in the formation of cultural projects, Mohammad Reza Shah played a significant role in the design of this museum which reveals the importance of this museum for him.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

 
 
English Translation of References
Documents
Sazman-e Asnad va Ketabxane-ye Melli-ye Iran (sākmā) (National Library and Archives of Iran):
220/14703; 264/25763; 264/26430; 264/27330; 264/27513; 264/28276; 340/471; 340/830; 340/4987; 998/1762. [Persian]
Books
Abrahamian, Ervand. (2008). A History of Modern Iran. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Alam, Asadollah. Yaddashthay-e Alam (Alam Diaries). Vol. 2: Years: 1349-1351. Alinaghi Alikhani (editor and introduction). [Persian].
Farmanfarmayian, Sattareh. (1383/2004). Dokhtari Az Iran (A girl from Iran). Tehran: Karang.
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Grigor, Talinn. (2009). Building Iran: Modernism, Architecture, and National Heritage Under the Pahlavi Monarchs. Pittsburgh, PA: Periscope Pub. Ltd.
Javadi, Gholamreza (1378/1999). Negahi be Emarat-e Tarikhi-e Kakh Mouze-e Marmar (Study of historical monument of Marmar Palace – Museum). Tehran: Nashr-e Kelid. [Persian].
Matin-Asgari, Afshin. (2018). Both Eastern and Western. Cambridge University Press.
Mozaffari, Ali. (2014). Forming National Identity in Iran: The Idea of Homeland Derived from Ancient Persian and Islamic Imaginations of Place. London: I.B. Tauris.
Nikpei, Gholamreza (1352/1973). Panjah Sal dar kakh-e Marmar: Tajdid-e Hayat-e Iran (Fifty Years in Marmar Palace: Revival of Iran). Tehran: Offset & Frannklin. [Persian].
Steele, Robert. (2020). The Shah's Imperial Celebrations of 1971: Nationalism, Culture and Politics in Late Pahlavi Iran. London: I.B. Tauris.
Thesis
Tabibi, Baharak (2014). Propagating Modernities: Art and Architectural patronage of Shahbanu Farah Pahlavi. Ph.D Thesis. Architectural History. Middle East Technical University.
Articles
Ali Akbar, Mohammad; Bigdelo, Reza (1390/2011). “Pahlavism: Ideology-e rasmi-e dolate-e Mohammadreza Pahlavi dar dahehay-e 1340 -1350” (Pahlavism: the official ideology of the government of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in the 1960–70 decades). Ganjine-e Asnad. Issue 84. pp 6 – 25. [Persian].
Al-Ragam, Asseel. (2014). “The Politics of Representation: The Kuwait National Museum and Processes of Cultural Production”. International Journal of Heritage Studies 20, no. 6: 663–74.
Anonymous. (1355/1967). “Omour-e Bastanshenasi dar Iran” (Archaeological Affairs in Iran). Historical studies. No. 6 pp. 171-240. [Persian].
Anonymous. (1356/1968). “Khane-e Shah khane-e mardom shod (Goshayesh-e Mouze-e Selsele-e Pahlavi) (The king's house became the house of the people (Inauguration of the museum of the Pahlavi dynasty)). Kaveh (Munich, Germany), No. 65. pp. 227–232. [Persian].
Ansari, Ali M. (2001). “The Myth of the White Revolution: Mohammad Reza Shah, 'Modernization' and the Consolidation of Power”. Middle Eastern Studies 37, no. 3: 1–24.
Bigdelo, Reza (1398/2019). “Karkard-e Nahad-e mouze-e Iran-e Bastan dar andishey-e dolat mellat-e Dore-e Pahlavi” (The Function of the Ancient Iran Museum in the notion of the Nation_state of the Pahlavi Era). Historical research. No. 2, pp. 99-117. [Persian].
Mozaffari, Ali. (2007). “Modernity and Identity: The National Museum of Iran”. In Museum Revolutions: How Museums Change and Are Changed. Edited by Simon J. Knell, Suzanne Macleod and Sheila E. R. Watson. London, New York: Routledge.
Razavi, Yeganeh; Mazloum, Jannat. (1367/1988). “Edarey-e Koll-e Mouzeha pas az Enghelab-e Eslami” (Administration of Museums after the Islamic Revolution). Museums, No. 8.
Shakibi, Zhand. (2013). “Pahlavīsm: The Ideologization of Monarchy in Iran”. Politics, Religion & Ideology 14, no. 1: 114–35.
Shakibi, Zhand. (2018). “The Rastakhiz Party and Pahlavism: The Beginnings of State Anti Westernism in Iran”. British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies 45, no. 2: 251–68.
Steele, Robert. (2019). “The Pahlavi National Library Project: Education and Modernization in Late Pahlavi Iran”. Iranian Studies 52, 1-2: 85–110.
 
 
 
English Translation of References
Documents
Sāzmān-e AsnādvaKetābxāne-ye Melli-ye Irān (Sākmā) (National Library and Archives Organization of Iran): 220/14703; 264/25763; 264/26430; 264/27330; 264/27513; 264/28276; 340/471; 340/830; 340/4987; 998/1762.[Persian]
Books
Abrahamian, Ervand. (2008). A history of modern Iran. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Alam, Asadollah. (1392/2013). “Yāddāšt-hā-ye Asadollah-e ‘Alam, jeld-e dovvom: Az 1349/1/1 tā 1351/12/21” (The diaries of AsadollahAlam: Volume II (1970, 1973)). Edited by Ali NaghiAlikhani. Tehrān: Ketābsarā.[Persian]
Farmanfarmayian, Setareh. (1383/2004). “DoxtariazIrān” (Daughter of Persia: A woman’s journey from her father’s harem through the Islamic Revolution). Translated by Maryam A’layi. Tehrān: Kārang.[Persian]
Ghobadian, Vahid. (1392/2013). “Sabk-šenāsivamabāni-ye Nazari darme’māri-ye mo’āser-e Irān” (Theories and styles in contemporary Iranian architecture). Tehrān: Mo’assese-ye ‘Elm-e Me’mār-e Royāl.[Persian]
Grigor, Talinn. (2009). Building Iran: Modernism, architecture, and national heritage under the Pahlavi monarchs. Pittsburgh, PA: Periscope Pub. Ltd.
Matin-Asgari, Afshin. (2018). Both eastern and western: an intellectual history of Iranian modernity. Cambridge University Press.
Mozaffari, Ali. (2014). Forming national identity in Iran: The idea of homeland derived from Ancient Persian and Islamic imaginations of place. London: I.B. Tauris.
NovinFarahbakhsh, Fereydoun. (1396/2017). “Rāhnamā-ye eskenās-hā-ye Irān: Qājār, Pahlavi, Jomhuri-ye Eslāmi” (The banknotes of Iran: Qajar, Pahlavi, Islamic Republic of Iran). Self-published by NovinFarahbakhsh.[Persian]
Nikpey, Gholamreza. (1352/1973). “Panjāhsāldarkāx-e Marmar: Tajdid-e hayāt-e Irān” (Fifty years in Marnar palace). Tehrān: Šerkat-e OfsetvaSahāmi-ye Xās in partnership with Entešārāt-e Ferānklin.[Persian]
Javadi, Gholamreza. (1378/1999). “Negāhi be ‘emārat-e tārixi-ye Kāx-muze-ye Marmar” (A glance at Marmar Palace - Museum). Tehrān: Kelid.[Persian]
Steele, Robert. (2020). The Shah's imperial celebrations of 1971: Nationalism, culture and politics in late Pahlavi Iran. London: I.B. Tauris.
Articles
Akbari, Mohammadali; &Beigdelou, Reza. (1390/2011). “Pahlavism: Ide’oloži-ye rasmi-ye dowlat-e Mohammad Rezā Pahlavi dardahe-hā-ye 1340 – 1350 SH” (Pahlavism, the official ideology of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi’s government (During 1960’s and 1970’s)). Gangine-ye Asnād, 84, pp. 6 – 25.[Persian]
Al-Ragam, Asseel. (2014). “The politics of representation: The Kuwait National Museum and processes of cultural production”. International Journal of Heritage Studies, 20(6), pp 663–674.
Ansari, Ali M. (2001). “The myth of the white revolution: Mohammad Reza Shah, 'modernization' and the consolidation of power”. Middle Eastern Studies, 37(3), pp 1–24.
Bigdelou, Reza. (1398/2019). “Kārkard-e nahād-e muze-ye Irān-e bāstāndarandiše-ye dowlat-mellatdowre-ye Pahlavi” (Function of “Museum of Ancient Persia” institution in the idea of nation-state in Pahlavi era). Pažuheš-hā-ye Tārixi (Historical Researches), series no. 42, pp. 99 – 117.[Persian]
Mozaffari, Ali. (2007). “Modernity and identity: The National Museum of Iran”. In Book: Museum revolutions: How museums change and are changed. (Edited by Simon J. Knell, Suzanne Macleod and Sheila E. R. Watson). London, New York: Routledge.
Razavi, Yeganeh; & Mazloum, Jannat. (1367/1988). “Edāre-ye koll-e muze-hā pas azenqelāb-e eslāmi” (The general administration of museums after the Islamic Revolution). Muze-hā, 8.[Persian]
“Šemme-eeazpišine-ye omur-e bāstān-šenāsidarIrān” (A corner of the history of archeology in Iran). Barresi-hā-ye Tārixi, 6, pp. 171 – 240.[Persian]
Shakibi, Zhand. (2013). “Pahlavīsm: The ideologization of monarchy in Iran”. Politics, Religion & Ideology, 14(1), pp 114–135.
Shakibi, Zhand. (2018). “The Rastakhiz Party and Pahlavism: The beginnings of state anti-westernism in Iran”. British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies 45(2), pp 251–268.
Steele, Robert. (2019). “The Pahlavi National Library Project: Education and Modernization in Late Pahlavi Iran”. Iranian Studies, 52(1-2), pp 85–110.
 
“Xāne-ye Šāhxāne-ye mardomšod (Gošāyeš-e muze-ye selsele-ye Pahlavi)” (The house of the king became the house of the people (Opening of the museumof Pahlavi dynasty)). (1355/1976). Kāveh (Munich, Germany), 65, pp. 227 – 232. [Persian]
Thesis
Tabibi, Baharak. (2014). “Propagating modernities: Art and architectural patronage of Shahbanu Farah Pahlavi”. Ph.D Thesis. Architectural History. Middle East Technical University. Turkey.
 
 
 
 
 

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History

  • Receive Date: 11 September 2021
  • Revise Date: 15 September 2021
  • Accept Date: 23 January 2022

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