Miniatür Kitab Muzeyi · Icherisheher edge, Baku
The Museum of Miniature Books is a small, privately curated museum a short walk from Baku's Old City walls, holding one of the largest collections of miniature books in the world — over 6,500 volumes, some smaller than a fingernail. The collection was assembled over decades by Zarifa Salahova, whose personal passion for tiny books grew into a genuinely world-class archive now recognised by international miniature book societies.
Exhibits include miniature Qurans, tiny illustrated children's books, postage-stamp-sized dictionaries, and books commemorating historical figures and events, sourced from more than 60 countries. Some pieces require a magnifying glass (provided at the museum) to read at all, and several are considered genuinely rare within the global miniature book collecting community.
It's a quick visit compared to Baku's larger landmarks, but a memorable one — a good example of the city's tendency to surprise visitors with niche, personally curated attractions alongside its major UNESCO sites and modern architecture.