The book "Museums of the World" enumerates in its 26th edition about 55,000 museums in 202 countries. In this book, there is no distinctive museum devoted to lichens. The Museum of Iranian Lichens, established recently, could be the first record for this book. In the ICOM-UMAC database, there are some herbaria covering lichen specimens but there is no independent lichen herbarium. The Museum of Iranian lichens consists of three divisions including Education, Research, and Collection and Preservation. It combines theoretical and practical approaches of lichenology and is a unique place to display the lichen biodiversity of Iran. The aim of this museum is to apply and explore issues, projects and emerging ideas about the Iranian lichen flora project. There are three target audience groups for it: 1) naturalists and citizen audience, 2) students in all levels of education from school to university, 3) researchers and specialists. Contributors and visitors explore the biology, ecology, and taxonomy of displayed lichens. The lichen herbarium as the research division of the Museum is a place that could be available for researchers and specialists. The museum of Iranian lichens offers new ways of understanding the biodiversity of lichens in different phytogeographical regions in Iran. The museum environment illustrates the general lichenology lessons that can be publicized, in both strategic and practical aspects of the lichen flora of Iran, and enables effective student learning. In the context of lichen museum and herbarium, we aim to support the higher education system and increase international collaboration on Iranian lichens. By this research gateway, the museum tries to preserve collections and move towards identifying priorities for the Iranian lichen flora. This specialized museum will appeal to local researchers and lichen professionals, inspiring new thinking about the collection, preserving and the role of lichens in making sense of it.
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