  We present observational evidences that dust in the circumnuclear region of
AGNs has different properties than in the Galactic diffuse interstellar medium.
By comparing the reddening of optical and infrared broad lines and the X-ray
absorbing column density we find that the E(B-V)/N_H ratio is nearly always
lower than Galactic by a factor ranging from ~3 up to ~100. Other observational
results indicate that the Av/N_H ratio is significantly lower than Galactic in
various classes of AGNs including intermediate type 1.8-1.9 Seyferts, hard
X-ray selected and radio selected quasars, broad absorption line QSOs and grism
selected QSOs. The lack of prominent absorption features at 9.7um (silicates)
and at 2175A (carbon dip) in the spectra of Seyfert 2s and of reddened Seyfert
1s, respectively, add further evidence for dust in the circumnuclear region of
AGNs being different from Galactic.
  These observational results indicate that the dust composition in the
circumnuclear region of AGNs could be dominated by large grains, which make the
extinction curve flatter, featureless and are responsible for the reduction of
the E(B-V)/N_H and Av/N_H ratios.
  Regardless of the physical origin of these phenomena, the reduced dust
absorption with respect to what expected from the gaseous column density should
warn about a mismatch between the optical and the X-ray classification of the
active galactic nuclei in terms of their obscuration.
