OUR
HISTORY
TUMO is a new kind of educational experience at the intersection of technology and design.
The TUMO Center for Educational Technologies began in Armenia, with over 14,000 students now regularly attending centers throughout the country. TUMO has since expanded on a global scale, into Paris, Moscow, Beirut, and Tirana, with more cities on the way.
TUMO in the spotlight
Over the years, TUMO has hosted visitors from all over the globe, including a growing number of familiar names and faces — from world leaders and pioneering educators to movers and shakers in industry and boundary-pushing artists and designers. Browse some snapshots from past visits and hear directly from guests and lab leaders who’ve led students though hands-on learning experiences.
TUMO received a European Heritage/Europa Nostra Award in the Education, Training, and Awareness-Raising category. Funded by the European Union’s Creative Europe program, the award recognizes significant strides related to education in the field of tangible and/or intangible cultural heritage.
Marie Lou Papazian, CEO of TUMO, was inducted into the Ordre des Palmes Académiques, an honor bestowed by France on distinguished academic and cultural figures for their contributions to science and education.
In 2017, a group of TUMO students represented Armenia in the FIRST Global Youth Robotics Competition in Washington, D.C. The theme of the competition was the global challenge of providing clean drinking water. Of the 163 countries represented, Team Armenia won the bronze medal for their robot.
TUMO received the WITSA Global ICT Excellence Award for “Fulfilling the Promise of the Digital Age.” TUMO CEO Marie Lou Papazian accepted the honor at 2018’s World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT) in Hyderabad, India.
in the media
From CNN and Al Jazeera to Business Insider and The Guardian, TUMO has been under the media spotlight from a wide range of international outlets. Take a look at some of the highlights.
first steps in Tirana
TUMO’s first home in Tirana was located in the Arena Center, an authentic, modern, and multipurpose space nestled right in the heart of the city. Designed with activities and events in mind, the Arena Center housed TUMO Tirana until its long-term home in the Pyramid of Tirana became operational.
TUMO Tirana is now located at the iconic Pyramid of Tirana, taking center stage in the city’s newest technology and innovation hub. As one of the main institutions in this revitalized space, TUMO empowers teenagers with cutting-edge digital skills, all through a unique self-learning and workshop-based model.
This revitalized landmark is not only an architectural icon but also a thriving ecosystem where education, startups, and creative industries come together and TUMO is proud to be leading the way
the future of Tirana
From Communist Relic to Creative Hub
Originally built in 1988 as a museum dedicated to former Albanian leader Enver Hoxha, the Pyramid of Tirana has undergone a dramatic transformation. Now revitalized by the internationally renowned architecture firm MVRDV, the iconic 11,800 m² structure has been reimagined as a dynamic hub for education, technology, and creativity.
Reopened in 2023, the Pyramid is home to TUMO Tirana, a free-of-charge learning center where teens aged 12–18 develop skills in animation, graphic design, filmmaking, robotics, music, programming, and more. The structure itself has been preserved and modernized with new staircases, glass facades, and modular learning boxes built into its slopes, allowing the public to walk, sit, and gather across its surfaces.
The renewed space also includes cafes, co-working areas, art installations, and venues for cultural events—reclaiming the Pyramid as a place of open access, innovation, and community.
From a symbol of dictatorship to a beacon of youth, creativity, and future-focused learning, the Pyramid of Tirana stands as a powerful example of architectural reuse and social transformation.
The Albanian-American Development Foundation (AADF), in partnership with TUMO Ventures and with the support of Municipality of Tirana, launched an innovative and state-of-the-art educational center for youth between the ages of 12 and 18 years old. The center will provide a new kind of educational experience that intersects technology and design.
The Albanian – American Development Foundation’s goal is to improve the quality of education in Albania and to enable youth to acquire the 21st century which are pivotal for the evolving job market. AADF has handpicked the most innovative international afterschool center to bring to Albania – a learning center where technology and art merge to provide teens a competitive edge in a digital world. TUMO Tirana will enable Albanian youth to gain the set of skills imperatives for success in the 21st century and allow them to broaden their horizons in the technological sector. The Center will promote and create a place for Albanian teens to explore an innovative path and diversify their future skills.