The first official state museum in our republic is the Museum of Independence. It was founded during the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. The Museum of Independence, opened in the Parliament building on December 7, 1919, on the anniversary of the founding of the Parliament of Azerbaijan, was conceived as a wide-ranging cultural institution.
        
The founders of the museum were Huseyn bey Mirzajamalov and Magomed Agaoglu, as well as Hasan bey Agayev, Deputy Chairman of the Parliament of Azerbaijan Sultanmejid Ganizade and other senior officials of the parliamentary committee.
       
The museum contains documents and materials related to the independence of Azerbaijan, samples of history, material culture, various manuscripts, rare copies of the Holy Quran, archaeological finds, weapons, paintings, carpets and rugs, artistic embroideries, copper vessels, jewelry and other works of art. Expenses related to the organization and activities of the museum were covered by the Presidium of the Parliament of Azerbaijan.
      
The Independence Museum existed for almost five months - until April 28, 1920. After the establishment of Soviet power in Azerbaijan in April 1920, the Museum of Independence was abolished, but it played an important role in the organization of new museums. After the occupation of Azerbaijan on April 28, 1920, the exhibits of the Museum of Independence were transferred to the newly organized State Museum of Azerbaijan. Later, some of the exhibits (including the flag of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, the original “Declaration of Independence”, materials from the Parliament of Azerbaijan, etc.) were transported to the “Museum of the Revolution” in Moscow.
     
After the restoration of Azerbaijan's independence, in the 1990s, the activities of the first State Museum of Azerbaijan resumed after seventy-one years. According to decision No. 9 of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan dated January 9, 1991, the Museum of Independence was founded. The main goal of the museum is to highlight the struggle of the Azerbaijani people for independence from ancient times to the present day.
      
There are no exhibits left in the museum, which operated in 1919. The newly opened museum is the spiritual successor to the first museum, called “Istiqlal” (independence). The museum, which in the past had 7,000 exhibits, now has about 22,000 exhibits. The museum consists of six halls; the halls are dedicated to the struggle for freedom, Stalinist repressions, the heroism of Azerbaijanis in the Great Patriotic War, etc. The last hall is dedicated to the modern history of Azerbaijan, as well as the activities of the National Leader of the people of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev. The museum displays sculptures, paintings, maps, photographs, books, numismatic objects, and other exhibits. The museum hosts various events dedicated to historical events, as well as award ceremonies, exhibitions, etc.
      
Since 2018, the Azerbaijan State Museum of the History of Religion has been integrated into the Museum of Independence of Azerbaijan.
      
Today, the main task of the Museum of Independence is to educate young people in the spirit of love and patriotism, to perpetuate the bright memory of the heroes who died for the independence of our country.
 

Recommended literature:

1. Bakı muzeyləri = Muzeums of Baku / Azərbaycan Respublikası Mədəniyyət Nazirliyi, Beynəlxalq Muzeylər Şurasının Azərbaycan Milli Komitəsi ; tərt. R. S. Tağıyeva [et al.]. - Bakı : [n. y.], 2006. - 123 s.
2. XXI əsrin muzeyi : problemlər, perspektivlər / Beynəlxalq Muzeylər Şurasının Azərbaycan Milli Komitəsi ; tərt. R. S. Tağıyeva ; layihənin rəh. Ə. M. Qarayev ; məsl. S. Y. Məmmədəliyeva. - Bakı : n. y., 2007. - 59 s.
3. Hacıyeva, Zemfira Əli qızı. Azərbaycan Dövlət Muzeyi : Azərbaycanda elmin inkişaf tarixindən: 1920-1960: monoqrafiya = Азербайджанский Государственный Музей : история развития науки Азербайджана: 1920-1960: монография / Z. Ə. Hacıyeva. - Bakı : Şərq-Qərb, 2012. - 152 s.
4. Azərbaycan tarixinin öyrənilməsində muzeylərin rolu : II Respublika elmi konfransının materialları: Bakı, 18 iyun 2012-ci il / N. İ. Abuşova [et al.] ; red. heyəti: N. M. Vəlixanlı [et al.] ; AMEA Milli Azərbaycan Tarixi Muzeyi. - Bakı : Ziya, 2012. - 164 s.
5. Əmirxanov, Sabir Abuzər oğlu. Azərbaycanda muzey quruculuğu və müzeyşünaslığın inkişafı : monoqrafiya / S. A. Əmirxanov ; elmi red. İ. H. Hüseynov ; Bakı Biznes Universiteti. - Bakı : Biznes Universiteti nəşriyyatı, 2012. - 290 s.
6. "Azərbaycan tarixinin öyrənilməsində muzeylərin rolu": IV Respublika elmi konfrasının materialları / P. Abdinova ; red. heyəti N. M. Vəlixanlı [et al.] ; AMEA Milli Azərbaycan Tarixi Muzeyi. - Bakı : Ziya, 2014. - 200 s.
7. "İstiqlal" muzeyinin 100 illiyinə həsr olunmuş "Muzey, arxiv və kitabxanalarda qorunan milli dəyərlərin tədqiqi, təbliği, mühafizəsi və bərpası": III Respublika elmi konfransının materialları / A. Abbasova, S. Aslanov, F. Ağayev [et al.] ; red. heyəti: N. Əliyeva [et al.] ; red. N. Əliyeva ; AMEA Milli Azərbaycan Tarixi Muzeyi. - Bakı : Elm və təhsil, 2019. - 240 s.