The Soil Museum in Yazd

This article examines the Soil Museum in Yazd as an innovative project that merges environmental education with the conservation of desert vernacular architecture. The museum highlights soil as "the living skin of the Earth" an essential yet frequently overlooked component supporting life, biodiversity, and civilization. Yazd, located in Iran's central desert, features a rich architectural tradition of mud-brick construction, windcatchers, and climate-adapted design. However, this heritage is threatened by modernization, declining traditional skills, and disregard for indigenous knowledge. The Soil Museum educates visitors on soil diversity worldwide, including Meybod's colorful volcanic soils, while emphasizing the profound relationship between soil, culture, and architecture. Analyzing the museum's exhibits and educational mission, this paper demonstrates soil's role as a fundamental link connecting natural systems and the built environment. The research contends that protecting soil and preserving vernacular architecture are interdependent pursuits, crucial for sustaining cultural identity and ecological balance. The Yazd Soil Museum provides an inspiring precedent for projects integrating scientific knowledge, cultural heritage, and sustainable design, contributing to the renewal of traditional architectural wisdom in contemporary practice.