Become a Friend of the Silk Road
We’re inviting you to become a Friend of the Silk Road Virtual Museum — a growing community of supporters who believe in accessible, beautifully curated history for all.
Whether it’s a one-off gift or a monthly donation, your support makes it all possible.
Welcome to the Silk Road Virtual Museum Experience
The Virtual Museum Sites and Exhibitions are listed in alphabetical order. Enter the virtual museums below.
Please note: some museums may take longer to open due to the higher quality and larger number of images employed
Take a tour of the Ancient Silk Roads. Select your period then choose your destination.
Locations Map
Byzantium 5th-10th Centuries
From 330 to 1000 CE, the Byzantine Empire, with Constantinople as its capital, stood as a formidable force. Its mosaics...
Khitan Empire (907-1115CE)
The Khitan Empire, also known as the Liao Dynasty (907–1125), was a powerful nomadic state founded by the Khitan people...
Khotan Kingdom
Situated on the southern edge of the Taklamakan Desert, the Kingdom of Khotan was founded around 300 BCE and flourished...
Sasanian Empire (224-651)
The Sasanian dynasty ruled for over four centuries from 224 to 651CE. At its peak the Empire encompassed all of...
Sogdians: Silk Road Traders
The Sogdian people were originally from an area now associated with eastern Iranian but were later concentrated in Central Asia,...
Taiyuan Tombs
The Taiyuan Tombs are a series of tombs discovered in the city of Taiyuan. Each tomb uncovers beautiful panels and...
Tang Dynasty China
The Tang Dynasty (618-907 CE) was a golden age of Chinese art, marked by flourishing painting, ceramics, and sculpture, reflecting...
Tibetan Empire (618-842)
Between 618 and 842 the mountain Kingdom gained control of an Empire that stretched as far North as the oasis...
Umayyad and Abbasid Caliphates (656-1000)
The Umayyad and Abbasid Caliphates were the earliest established after the death of the prophet Mohammad. They flourished from the...
Vikings in the East
In the 9th-10th centuries Norse traders navigated the Volga and Dnieper Rivers, linking Scandinavia with the Byzantine Empire and Islamic...
Wonderful inititive.
Thank you all so much. Highly informative. I am looking forward to the next destination as the journey of opening vision, mind continues. Thank you so much again. Impressive.
This is truly amazing!
What an amazing collection and interactive programme you have put together, giving us scope for further research and knowledge of the Silk Road. Thank you to everyone who has worked so hard to make this possible…
Congratulations for the great project and best luck for success.
Thank you very much Professor Griffiths!