The new building of the Matenadaran was designed by Arthur Meschian , an architect better known as a musician , to better house the increasing number of manuscripts . A five-story building , it is three times larger than the old one . It is equipped with a high-tech laboratory , where manuscripts are preserved , restored and digitized . Meschian noted that he designed the new building in a way to not compete with the old one , but instead be a continuation of it . It was initially planned to be constructed in the late 1980s , but was not realized because of the 1988 Armenian earthquake , the Karabakh War and the economic crisis that ensued . Financed by Moscow-based Armenian businessman Sergei Hambartsumian ( US$ 10 million ) and Maxim Hakobian , director of the Zangezur Copper and Molybdenum Combine ( US$ 4 million ) , it was built from May 2009 to September 2011 . It was inaugurated on September 20 , 2011 on the eve of celebrations of the 20th anniversary of Armenia 's independence in attendance of President Serzh Sargsyan , Catholicoi Karekin II of Etchmiadzin and Aram I of Cilicia , Artsakh President Bako Sahakyan , and others
1988 Armenian earthquake
1988 Armenian earthquake
Matenadaran