Ebrat Museum, Torture museum and former prison in District 12, Tehran, Iran
Ebrat Museum is a former prison facility housed in a three-story circular building with Pahlavi architectural features located in Tehran. The structure contains multiple cells and corridors arranged around a central courtyard topped by a glass skylight.
German engineers built this facility in 1932 under Reza Pahlavi's direction, establishing it as Iran's first modern prison structure. The site later became a memorial after decades of operation as a detention center.
The museum displays artwork and exhibits showing how people were detained and monitored during a specific historical period in Iran. Visitors can see objects and installations that reflect the lived experience of those held within these walls.
The location sits in Tehran's District 12 and can be explored through guided tours with various language options available. Plan to spend time here, and note that exhibition content may be emotionally heavy for some visitors.
The building was deliberately designed with acoustic features that carried sound through the cells to heighten the psychological stress on detainees. This architectural choice serves as a silent reminder of how the physical space itself was used as a tool.
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