National Museum of Afghanistan
The National Museum of Afghanistan, often known as the Kabul Museum, is a world-renowned cultural institution located opposite Darul Aman Palace in southwestern Kabul. Established in 1919 under King Amanullah Khan, the museum housed one of the world's most incredible collections of ancient antiquities, including Greco-Bactrian statues, Buddhist Ivories from Begram, Kushan gold, and Islamic relics spanning 5,000 years of Silk Road history. During the devastating Afghan Civil War in May 1993, the museum became a frontline position; rocket fire destroyed the top floor, and rampant looting resulted in the theft or destruction of over 70% of its 100,000 artifacts. Staff members were murdered defending the site. Restored in the 2000s with international aid, museum security guards, staff, and visitors report unexplained phenomena inside the exhibition galleries, including ghostly apparitions wandering among restored Greco-Buddhist statues, sudden cold spots, disembodied footsteps in empty basements, and eerie whispers in ancient languages.