Why Visit Tbilisi’s Museums
The museums of Tbilisi offer a unique opportunity to connect with the rich history and culture of Georgia. They serve as a mirror of the national heritage, allowing visitors to understand how the country's identity was formed, what events and figures have left their mark, and how traditions and modernity coexist in harmony.
The museums in Tbilisi are not just about history, but also about self-awareness, about the connection between the past and the present. Here, you will gain a deeper understanding of the Georgian people, their values, achievements, and their struggle to preserve their uniqueness. Moreover, they are places where one can enjoy an atmosphere of knowledge, aesthetics, and reflection.
Each museum is a separate story that you will read as you wander through its halls. Therefore, if you want to learn more about Georgia, understand its culture and history, the museums of Tbilisi are the perfect place to start.
1. National Museum of Georgia (Main Building or Museum Complex)
The National Museum of Georgia in Tbilisi is the largest and most important museum complex in the country, bringing together dozens of institutions that showcase a vast collection of historical, cultural, and artistic artifacts. It was founded in 2004.
The museum complex includes not only major museums, such as the Museum of Georgia and the National Gallery, but also more specialized institutions, such as the Museum of Soviet Occupation, the History Museum of Tbilisi, and archaeological reserves and an ethnographic museum.
The museum is actively engaged in educational activities: workshops, master classes, and archaeological expeditions are conducted for schoolchildren and students, where they can not only learn more about history but also participate in excavations themselves. Additionally, lectures on various cultural and historical topics are organized for adults.
Visitors also have access to various conveniences: audio guides in several languages, souvenir shops with unique products and books that can be purchased as a reminder of the visit.
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Ticket prices: From 3 to 15 GEL
Address: Shota Rustaveli Ave. 3
2. Museum of the History of Tbilisi
The Museum of the History of Tbilisi consists of three halls. The first hall features installations reflecting the life of the city, showcasing old household items, paintings, models of buildings from the 20th century, such as shops, workshops, restaurants, and residential houses. Special attention is paid to replicas of historical photographs of Tbilisi from the 19th and 20th centuries, offering a glimpse of the city as it once was.
The second hall impresses with a variety of interior items: secretaries, sofas, cabinets, pianos, and gramophones—all contributing to the atmosphere of the past. There is also French furniture, paintings by Boris Vogel and Boris Romanovsky, and the epic painting "Expulsion of the Persians from Tbilisi" by Makashvili. Among the exhibits are a historical carriage and large models of well-known Italian courtyards, a castle, and the Metekhi prison.
The third hall is dedicated to items related to art and daily life. Here, one can see musical instruments, accessories, shoes, clothing, ceramics, and a collection of items belonging to the choreographer Yuri Zaretsky. The hall also features models of the Blue House and palaces, as well as ancient artifacts dating back to the Late Bronze Age, 16th—15th centuries BC.
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Ticket prices: 15 GEL for foreigners, 6 GEL for students and schoolchildren, 5 GEL for Georgian citizens
Address: Sioni St. 8
3. Open-Air Ethnographic Museum
The Open-Air Ethnographic Museum in Tbilisi is a unique place that immerses visitors in the history and culture of Georgia. It was created by Giorgi Chitaia in 1960 and is located on a vast area of 52 hectares. The museum features around 100 exhibits representing different houses and structures that reflect the various epochs and traditions of Georgia.
This is a kind of "living village," where each building tells its own story. The structures range from ancient Bronze Age buildings to more modern ones, each restored to appear as it would have in its time. Inside, visitors can see how people lived in different historical periods—traditional furniture, household items, clothing, as well as jewelry and weapons.
A particularly interesting feature is the "darbazi"—a type of ancient dwelling similar to an earth hut, where Georgians would hide from enemies. The museum also includes various workshops, blacksmiths, barns, and stables where visitors can see how traditional crafts like forged items and weapons were made.
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Ticket prices: 1 GEL for children, 5 GEL for adults
Address: Ilya Chavchavadze St. 76 (Vake Park)
4. Museum of Contemporary Art
The Museum of Contemporary Art Tbilisi is not just an art gallery but a place that introduces visitors to the work of one of Georgia's most famous artists, sculptors, and architects, Zurab Tsereteli. The museum is unique not only for its exhibits but also for its historical building.
The museum's building was constructed in 1882 and served as a military cadet school for many years. Later, it was used for various purposes, including educational and social institutions. In 2005, after Tsereteli took on the restoration of the historic building, it was transformed into a modern museum while retaining many of its antique elements.
On the first floor, guests are greeted by a massive bronze sculpture of an apple, decorated with bas-reliefs. The second floor showcases Tsereteli's paintings. The third floor is dedicated to the artist’s personal archive, which includes photographs and enamel works that display his mastery in various techniques.
Opening hours: Wednesday to Monday, 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Ticket prices: 1 GEL for children, 5 GEL for adults
Address: Shota Rustaveli St. 27
5. Museum of Illusions Tbilisi
The Museum of Illusions Tbilisi is a fascinating and unusual place where illusions become not only a spectacle but also a real interactive experience. Visitors can not only look at illusions but actively participate in them.
One of the main attractions is the anti-gravity room, where visitors can feel the laws of physics being defied and experience the sensation of weightlessness. There is also the infinity hall, where space and perspectives play with your perception, and the upside-down room, where it seems that the world has flipped upside down. The "Vortex Tunnel" creates the sensation of being in the center of a spinning whirlwind.
In addition, the museum features a game zone with puzzles and logic games, allowing visitors to try their hand at solving problems. There are also various holograms and installations that amaze with their visual magic, while the kaleidoscope turns ordinary patterns into mesmerizing pictures.
The museum is open without time limits, so you can spend as much time as you like enjoying the atmosphere. All exhibits are provided with instructions and descriptions in Georgian, Russian and English, making the museum accessible to all.
Opening hours: Daily from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Ticket prices: Free for children under 6, 30 GEL for students and schoolchildren (14-24 years old), 35 GEL for adults
Address: Betlemi St. 10
6. Georgia Palace of Arts – Museum of Cultural History
The Georgia Palace of Arts in Tbilisi is not only a unique building but also an important cultural center that attracts attention with its history and architecture. Built in 1895 by German architect Paul Stern, the building combines elements of Gothic and Eastern styles, making it particularly striking among the city's other historical buildings.
The palace is not only architecturally valuable but also linked to an interesting and romantic story. Prince Konstantin Oldenburg of Germany fell in love with the Georgian woman Agrafina Djaparidze after seeing her portrait in the studio of a famous artist. Her husband, a gambler, proposed an unusual condition: to pay off a large debt, the prince had to spend the night with Agrafina. In exchange for agreeing, the prince asked for a palace to be built for Agrafina. Six months later, the palace was ready, and Agrafina began a new life with the prince, leaving her husband behind.
Since 1989, the palace has been a significant cultural venue, housing the Georgian State Museum of Theatre, Music, Cinema, and Choreography. The museum showcases thousands of exhibits that tell the story of the development of Georgian culture, including works by famous artists such as Niko Pirosmani and Petre Otskheli.
Opening hours: Daily from 10:30 AM to 6:00 PM
Ticket prices: 5 GEL
Address: Kargareteli St. 6
7. Digital Art Museum
The Digital Art Museum is the first museum of digital art in Georgia, located in Tbilisi, in the Tbilisi Mall shopping and entertainment center. The museum opened in October 2019 and offers a space where art and technology merge. It spans 500 square meters and includes three multimedia halls where visitors can actively interact with digital artworks.
One of the major ongoing installations is a project celebrating the 130th anniversary of Vazha-Pshavel's poem “Dry Beech”. This exhibition uses music, graphics and digital type inspired by the poet's manuscripts. Visitors can immerse themselves in the atmosphere of the poem by listening to excerpts read by renowned Georgian actor Murman Ginoria. This allows viewers to literally “enter” the poetic world through new digital forms.
Also in one of the halls of the museum there is an exposition “Forest of Lights”, which creates a feeling of “a boundless world of light and beauty”. In the main hall you can see surreal digital projections of nature - flowers, butterflies, birds, oceans and waterfalls.
The peculiarity of the museum is that its exhibitions are regularly updated, thus creating a dynamic atmosphere in which each visit brings new impressions and discoveries. This allows the museum to remain relevant and interesting to a wide audience, no matter when one decides to return. Unlike traditional museums, where exhibitions can remain unchanged for many years, here they change regularly.
Opening hours: Daily from 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Ticket prices: 30 GEL for children, 40 GEL for adults
Address: Shota Rustaveli St. 16
8. Wine Museum Tbilisi
The Wine Museum in Tbilisi is not just a place displaying antique items but a full journey into the ancient winemaking traditions of Georgia, which date back thousands of years. It is located in the basements of the Museum of the History of Georgia, known as "Karvasla," and serves as a real treasure trove full of interesting and unusual exhibits.
Here, you can explore ancient winemaking traditions, including seeing qvevri—large clay vessels traditionally used by Georgians to make wine. The museum also showcases incredible copper figurines dating back to the 7th century BC, including the famous tamada figure, a symbol of Georgian feasts.
In addition to viewing exhibits, visitors can join a wine tasting. The museum's collection includes up to 200 varieties of wine, each with its own history and characteristics.
The Wine Museum is not just a collection of exhibits; it's a space that allows visitors to not only learn about the history but also immerse themselves in the world of Georgian winemaking through interaction, education, and even hands-on experience. In Tbilisi, it has become an important cultural and educational center that unites tradition and modernity in a unique format.
Opening hours: Daily from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Ticket prices: From 7 to 35 GEL
Address: Sioni St. 8
Conclusion
Visiting the museums of Tbilisi is a wonderful opportunity to expand your horizons and see the world from a new perspective. This city offers museums for all tastes:
- Historical
- Archaeological
- Artistic
- Ethnographic, etc.
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