The Alex and Marie Manoogian Treasury-House was opened on October 11, 1982, designed by architect Baghdasar Arzumanyan. The Treasury-House is named in honor of the American-Armenian philanthropists, Mr. Alex and Mrs. Mari Manoogian.
Over time, the items displayed in the museum were brought to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin from various Armenian communities around the world, spanning a wide geographical area.
The museum showcases invaluable artifacts, including ecclesiastical items as well as works of applied art, bowls, altar curtains, relics, vestments, torches, crosses, ancient Armenian carpets, ceramic vessels, and wood carvings.
A notable feature of the collection is a series of paintings depicting the Holy Mother of God, created by Armenian artists across different periods of Armenian history.
In 2018, due to major construction work on the main cathedral, many of the museum’s exhibits from the southeastern part of the cathedral were transferred to the Treasury-House.
Among the sacred treasures moved are:
The Holy Lance of Geghard (the spear that pierced Christ), preserved in a silver reliquary,
A relic from Noah’s Ark, sealed in a reliquary dating from 1698,
The reliquary with the Holy Sign from Khotakerats, containing a fragment of the Cross of Jesus Christ (from 914–929),
The Cross of Ashot the Iron, housed in a reliquary containing a relic of Christ’s Cross (the oldest of the existing cross relics),
A mountain crystal cross from King Hovhannes-Smbat of Ani,
The right hands (reliquaries) of Saints Thaddeus and Bartholomew,
The relics of St. Andrew and St. George,
‘The Holy Savior’ from the church of Havuts Tar,
The mitre of Archimandrite Komitas,
Paintings by Stephanus Lehcatsi and Vardges Surenyants, and many other priceless relics and works of art.
Telephone: +374-10-517-257