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Time Pavilion, a VR Heritage Museum in Baku’s Old City, Recreates the Streets of 1919

Two VR headsets on a wooden bench in a stone-vaulted museum gallery, in front of a sepia projection of an early twentieth-century city street

Time Pavilion, a VR heritage museum, opened on 19 October 2026 inside Icherisheher, the walled old city of Baku, Azerbaijan. Its 40-minute “Journey Through Time” uses virtual reality to put visitors in the streets of Baku as they looked in 1919.

Icherisheher, the Walled City of Baku, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

How the VR heritage museum works

The visit starts at a reception area, and the museum offers guides. After the virtual reality section, other rooms cover the history of Baku’s press and its oil industry.

Vahid Ibrahimov, the museum’s founder, said the team spent nearly two years rebuilding the city of 1919 from historical sources.

“One of the most challenging aspects was researching historical facts from that era, locating photographs, and accurately reconstructing the appearance of the streets,” said Ibrahimov.

Ticket prices and resident free days

Children’s tickets cost 13 manat ($7.60), standard tickets 22 manat ($12.90) and tourist tickets 28 manat ($16.47). Azerbaijani citizens pay discounted rates, and the reserve plans free visit days for Icherisheher residents.

Rufat Mahmud is chairman of the board of the Icherisheher State Historical-Architectural Reserve Administration. He said the reserve is updating its ticket policy and has prepared several new packages. Mahmud said the museum is part of the administration’s “Smart Reserve” concept.

“We believe that this museum will become a key attraction within Icherisheher,” said Mahmud.

A second pavilion in 2027

Ibrahimov said a second pavilion will open around the middle of 2027 on the museum’s lower floor.

“In the next stage, the visitor enters the city itself. Feeling like a resident, they will move from room to room and interactively experience the daily activities of that era,” he said.

Ibrahimov said later stages would take visitors to other historical periods.

What this means for heritage-site operators

Icherisheher’s administration has added a ticketed, 40-minute VR attraction inside a UNESCO-listed district, with three price tiers and free days for residents. Mahmud said the reserve’s ticket packages are being updated, and the prices may change.

FAQ

What is Time Pavilion in Baku? A VR heritage museum that opened on 19 October 2026 in Icherisheher, Baku’s walled old city. Its 40-minute “Journey Through Time” recreates the streets of Baku in 1919.

How much does the Time Pavilion VR heritage museum cost? Children’s tickets are 13 manat ($7.60), standard tickets 22 manat ($12.90) and tourist tickets 28 manat ($16.47). Azerbaijani citizens pay discounted rates.

Who is behind Time Pavilion? Vahid Ibrahimov is the museum’s founder. Rufat Mahmud, chairman of the board of the Icherisheher reserve’s administration, said the museum is part of the administration’s “Smart Reserve” concept.

Will Time Pavilion expand? A second pavilion is due around mid-2027 on the museum’s lower floor. Ibrahimov said visitors will move through the city and take part in its daily life. Later stages would cover other historical periods.

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