The National Museum of History occupies the former mansion of Haji Zeynalabdin Tagiyev, one of the great Baku oil barons of the late nineteenth century. The building is reason enough to visit — three floors of opulent Belle Époque interiors, painted ceilings, parquet floors, and a small ballroom that has been kept exactly as it was when the oil money first started rolling in.
The collection covers everything from prehistoric flint tools to Soviet-era memorabilia, with the strongest sections being the medieval Islamic coinage, the costumes of the various Azerbaijani regions, and a beautiful display of Caucasian weapons and armour. Allow ninety minutes. The reconstruction of Tagiyev's own apartments on the second floor is the highlight.