Smithsonian Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage

A woman wearing traditional Armenian dress bends down to tend to an outdoor stove while preparing a meal.

Collaboration and Community: Working Together for the Future of Armenian Festivals

Festivals allow for pauses in our fast-paced routines to celebrate human creativity.

Visitors pick out crochet toys to purchase at the My Handmade Armenia Festival.

Reviving Tradition With the My Handmade Armenia Festival

The My Handmade Armenia festival aims to not only help artisans but to create new opportunities for tourists too—from purchasing extraordinary items to taking home a tangible and traditional piece of Armenian cultural heritage.

Preparing klulik from Sasoun at Noosh. (Photo by Areg Vardanyan, My Armenia Program)

Eat Like an Armenian with These Tips from a Local Guide

Did you know that Armenian culture is heavily gastro-centric? Any occasion, be it happy or sad, has associations with food.

Stunning views inside the Arpa Protected Landscape. (Photo by My Armenia Program)

Adventuring the Armenian Way

Armenia is a museum under an open sky with hundreds of opportunities to actively explore outside.

Syunik-Artsakh rug from the collection of the Local Lore Museum of Goris, 20th century. (Photo by Areg Balayan, My Armenia Program)

From Wool to Elegant Carpets: The Smoothest Route Through Armenia

Explore Armenia through its rich tapestry of textile production.

Children learning to weave carpets at Telik Crafts. (Photo by Narek Harutyunyan, My Armenia Program)

Traveling with the Little Ones: Entertainment in Armenia

No matter our age, we all like to travel. But let’s admit it, traveling with kids can be challenging.

Vahagn working on a clay jug. (Photo by Narek Harutyunyan, My Armenia Program)

The Potter's Wheel: An Inexhaustible Source of Energy

Master potter Vahagn Hambardzumyan is among those who carry on Syunik, Armenia's rich pottery traditions with a modern touch.

Anto Kilislian prepares lahmajoun at the 2018 Smithsonian Folklife Festival. (Photo by Sonya Pencheva, Ralph Rinzler Folklife Archives)

Food and Longing in the Armenian Diaspora

Armenians both borrowed from and contributed to the culinary lexicons of the regions they inhabit

Master basket weaver Arthur Petrosyan sits and works on a project. (Photo by Narek Harutyunyan, My Armenia Program)

Travel the Sweetest Route through Vayots Dzor and Syunik, Armenia

Numerous popular traditions regarding beekeeping are associated with the medicinal properties of the use of beeswax. Grandpa Grisha, a beekeeper with 50 years of experience, remembers it all very well.

Sasun, a local guide, takes in the view of Mount Ughtasar. (My Armenia Program)

See Armenia Through the Eyes of a Local Guide

The landscape of Armenia is diverse. Often, there are several sub-regions within a single region, each with their own distinct set of tourist destinations

Unearthing a karas (large storage vessel, amphorae) at Trinity Canyon Vineyards. (My Armenia Program )

A Wine Expert's Diary from the Roads of Vayots Dzor, Armenia

Armenia, where the oldest trace of wine production is 6,100 years old, can indeed compete for the title of the “cradle of wine.”

Categories
Archive