Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures

‘Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures’ from the National Museum in Kabul, was hosted in conjunction with National Geographic in the touring hall of Melbourne Museum.

For years these artefacts were thought lost or destroyed as a result of war and instability in the region. However, in 2003, they were uncovered from vaults in the central bank of the presidential palace, where they had been placed in secrecy by a few courageous staff from the National Museum of Kabul.

The exhibition told the story of the long and extraordinarily rich historical culture of Afghanistan, and the influences which affected the country due to its position at the centre of the Silk Road.

The design of the exhibition created non-linear paths for visitors to explore, establishing four individual nodes — one for each of the archaeological sites where the artefacts were originally discovered. These sites were individually entered from a central circular gateway. Framing this central gateway were large-scale illuminated images of Afghanistan, providing a wider context for the country and its rich history.

Lightweight fabrics, walls, suspended elements and chromatic lighting design were used to create four different environments, each with an abstract reference to the historical context of the archaeological site. These included Begram, a two-room merchant’s store, and Tillya Tepe, a collection of tombs where the famed Bactrian Hoard was discovered.