The Tajik Academy of Sciences complex, south of the central area, is one of the better examples of Stalinist neoclassical architecture in Dushanbe — a grand symmetrical ensemble of research institutes and administrative buildings set around a formal garden. The building quality is impressive for a city that was little more than a village a century ago.
The Academy coordinates research in natural sciences, social sciences, and the humanities, and has a particular strength in archaeology and Central Asian history. Some of the most important archaeological work on the Sogdian and Kushan civilizations has been done by Academy researchers. The grounds are open and the building exteriors worth seeing; access to the interiors is typically restricted to those with specific research purposes.