National Tea Museum

The National Tea Museum of Iran is located in the city of Lahijan (Gilan region) and has started its activity since 1996. This museum, built on a hill adjacent to the tea plantations, consists of a complex which it includes the mausoleum of Mohammad Mirza Kashef Al-Saltaneh (founder of the tea industry in Iran) with a tall quadrangular tower, the main two-storey hall and an office space.

The ground floor of the main hall of the building is dedicated to the historical documents relating to the discovery, the prizes and the first photographs of Kashef Al-Soltaneh, the artefacts related to tea and its preparation as various types of coal samovars, teapots of ceramic, copper and stone, coffee cups, various Nasreddin Shah contracts, some types of handles for tea cups, trays, cup holders, etc.

The second floor of the building consists of showcases and articles of anthropological interest and here are exhibited terracotta crockery, jewels and objects belonging to the Parthian and Seljuk era, documents and deeds, rosaries, mats, the milk measuring wood, a small wooden bowl, carafes, etc.

The stages of planting, harvesting, conservation and cultivation of the tea plant, its processing and preparation are also exhibited in numerous pavilions.

In the area around the museum, tea trees and pitches have been placed where tourists can sit and admire the beautiful panorama of Lahijan.

It is interesting to know that before the spread of tea in Iran, coffee was mostly used, therefore some places where tea is served are still called "coffee houses".