National Museum of Georgia. Museums of Tbilisi: overview, features, interesting facts and reviews Interesting museums of Tbilisi

National Museum of Georgia, in currently- this is a system of several museums, and this building (Rustaveli, building 3) is only part of it, the Simon Janashia Museum. Inside you can see gold from Vani, hominid bones from Dmanisi and one of the largest collections of Urartian inscriptions in the world. Not open on Mondays. Entrance costs 5 lari, the ticket allows you to see the whole museum. Only the Golden Fund really works and famous museum Soviet occupation.

The spacious, strict building is restrainedly stylized as old Georgian architecture. Previously, the Caucasian Museum, which has existed since 1825, was located here. The museum is a unique repository of items of Caucasian culture. The pearl of the museum is the Golden Fund - materials from excavations at the Trialeti burial mound (II century BC). This included gold and silver vessels, ceramics. Golden goblet, decorated precious stones And geometric pattern gained fame all over the world. In the museum collection jewelry 5th-4th centuries BC e., collections of coins and weapons from the countries of the Middle East, handicrafts, fabrics, carpets, clothes, magnificent wood carvings.

Ethnographic Museum in Tbilisi

The most active creator of the Ethnographic Museum in Tbilisi was academician Giorgi Chitaya, a prominent scientist, head and founder of the Georgian ethnographic school.

Despite the fact that the idea of ​​creating a museum was still in the late 30s of the last century, it was possible to open the museum only in 1966.

This is due to political pressure on an independent academician, it was often such that he was sharply criticized at meetings. He was not awarded, he only had a medal: Friendship of Peoples,

The museum occupies almost 50 hectares, which house about 70 residential and commercial buildings brought from different parts of Georgia.

Each house has a huge number of things that people used several centuries ago.

The museum is located within the city at the Turtle Lake, the entrance fee is approximately 2 lari (10 UAH), the opening hours are daily, except Monday, 11.00-16.00.

State Art Museum of Georgia

The State Museum of Arts of Georgia is a collection of art collections not only from Georgia, but also from the East, Russia and Europe. The collection fund is about 140,000 unique works of art.

At the beginning of the 20th century, there was a National Art Gallery here, but due to the demand for the conceived idea, its scale increased, and replenishment with new exhibits, which included not only historical canvases, but also manuscripts, metal products, jewelry, one of the most important museums in Georgia. The museum itself moved several times and for some time its exhibits were even in the church, so all the collections remained untouched even in the most turbulent times of the country.

At the present time, such a large number of people have shown their desire to look at the national treasures of the nation that the Museum began to frequently hold temporary exhibitions in other museums in Georgia and abroad. Among the treasures of the museum are priceless masterpieces of medieval coinage of the 8th-13th centuries, the golden cup of Bagrat III (999), the golden pectoral cross of Queen Tamara, decorated with emeralds, rubies, and pearls, with the inscription "King and Queen Tamar". This cross was made in the last quarter of the 12th century.

The museum houses the oldest in Georgia, dating back to the 6th century, the Anchi Icon of the Savior Not Made by Hands (Anchiskhati). Here you can see works of Chinese and Japanese art, monuments of Egyptian, Iranian and Indian art, shawls from India, Turkey, Iran, Persian carpets.

Fine arts are represented by canvases European masters, Russian artists- I. Repin, V. Surikov, V. Serov, I. Aivazovsky, A. Vasnetsov.

Sights of Tbilisi

The capital of Georgia is famous for its huge number of attractions, including place of honor occupied by the museums of Tbilisi. A large flow of tourists visits them every year, spending more than one day on it in order to see as much as possible. There are situations when there is not much time for walking around the city, but you want to look at Georgian life, old paintings, exhibits, paintings and artifacts. Below is a list of popular places in the city, visiting which will bring aesthetic pleasure.

Tbilisi National Museum (National museum of Tbilisi)

It is part of one single network that unites many historical institutions of the country, which is called Georgian National Museum(Georgian national museum). The merger took place relatively recently in 2004 due to the reforms taking place at that time. For simplified management, it was decided to create a network of the largest museums, this moment their number reaches 13 pieces.

The Georgian National Museum is the oldest representative of the art corner, founded in 1825 and survived several unpleasant events. In 1921, he was taken to Europe, and the return took place already in 1945. In 1991, during the change of power, the building received multiple damages, and a year later there was a fire. At the moment it's the best state museum, dedicated to history Caucasus.

On the first floor there are halls that have gathered museum exposition epoch ll c. BC. - coins, tools, utensils, jewelry. by the most interesting exhibit, tourists find fossilized remains ancient man who lived 2 million years ago. They belong to representatives of a species that lived off the coast of Africa.

The second and third floors are dedicated to the period of Soviet occupation.

Museum of Soviet occupation (The museum of Soviet occupation)

The opening took place in 2006, but it did not last long due to the closure for repairs necessary for the old part of the building. The restoration was completed in 2011, presenting renovated halls that create a striking contrast with Soviet symbols related to historical period Georgia 1921-1991 Modern interior, lighting, musical accompaniment in the hall, distinguish the museum among similar institutions in the country.

At the entrance there is a fragment of the carriage in which the revolutionaries of 1924 were shot. Further, the movement through the hall proceeds clockwise, where you can see historical documents and photographs of the victims of political repressions in Georgia. The exhibits of 1920-1930 are of particular interest. In the center of the hall there is a commissioner's table where you can sit down. Despite the historical value that describes the brutality of the Soviet regime, the opening of the museum was condemned by certain Russian politicians pointing to the propaganda of nationalism in Georgia.

Ethnographic Museum of Georgia

A very unusual adventure will be a visit to an ethnographic corner in Tbilisi, located under open sky, whose life was given by the historian Georgy Chitaya in 1966. The best exhibits brought from different corners all 14 ethnographic regions of the country. The exposition is divided into the same number of parts.

The museum complex resembles a village, in which, in addition to buildings, there are additionally:

1. Barns;
2. stables;
3. Kitchens;
4. hunting lodges;
5. Wine cellars.

It is very interesting to visit the buildings intended for housing. Inside everything looks like historical times. Each room corresponds to a certain region and includes its furniture, utensils, clothes, tools.

Among household items, a very interesting and popular is a deep goblet, inside of which a ring was placed at the bottom. The vessel was filled with wine, which a person must drink in one gulp. The test was considered passed when the knock of the ring on the empty goblet is heard.

Tbilisi museum of Pirosmani

Founded in 1984 Museum, completely dedicated to the life and work of the famous Georgian artist Niko Pirosmani (Pirosamishvili). The biography of the master is filled with interesting facts that surprise and deserve admiration for this person.

It is known that Niko is a native Georgian who became a self-taught artist. IN early childhood he lost his parents, so he had to learn to read and write on his own. Having changed many ancillary jobs, the artist decided to make a living doing what he loves, painting signboards and gradually revealing his talent. At this time, popularity comes to him, which did not bring the long-awaited financial profit. A couple of years later, Niko dies in poverty.

One of the halls is a small room under the stairs, in which Niko Pirosmani spent last years life. The viewer is presented with hundreds of works by the master, among which paintings on oilcloths and copies of famous masterpieces are of interest.

In the other halls of the museum there are Pirosmani's personal belongings, his bed, work desk and his mother's author's carpet.

Doll museum

This is one of the most popular places to visit not only for adults, but also for young children. The founder was the teacher Tinatin Tumanishvili in 1933. Initially, only a couple of rooms of the kindergarten in Tbilisi were allocated for the collection. Later, as new copies were replenished, the museum moved to the House of Pioneers. In the early 90s, a robbery took place, 24 unique dolls were stolen, which have not yet been found.

At the moment, 3000 exhibits have been collected, among which are presented best work How folk craftsmen, and representatives from different parts of the world, such as China, India, Europe, etc. Dolls belong to the era of the 19th-21st centuries and are made of various possible materials. The most popular works are:

• Russian dancing doll named Svetlana;
• A puppet holding a pearl;
• Bubble-blowing doll;
• Ensemble of playing dolls.

For those who are interested in the culture of the Caucasus, in Tbilisi the National Museum of Georgia will be an excellent guide to better touch the history of this country. For other visitors, this will be a new and educational pastime and discovery.

The National Museum of Georgia is a complex of several museums, some of which are located in other cities of the country. The unified management system was established in 2004. Today the association includes the following museums:

• Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia and the Museum of Soviet Occupation (3 Shota Rustaveli Ave.);
• National Georgian Art Gallery (11 Shota Rustaveli Ave.);
• Tbilisi Museum of Ethnography (Vake Park);
• Tbilisi History Museum (8 Sioni St.);
• State Museum of Arts of Georgia (L. Gudiashvili St., 1);
• Institute of Paleobiology (Niagvari St., 4-A);
• Center for Archaeological Research (ul. Uznadze, 14);
• E. Akhvlediani House-Museum (Kiacheli str., 12);
• House-Museum of M. Toidze (M. Lagidze st., 1);
• House-Museum of I. Nikoladze (St. Rodin, 3);
• U. Japaridze House-Museum (2 Shio Mgvimeli St.);
• Dzalis Museum;
• Samtskhe-Javakheti historical Museum(Akhaltsikhe);
• Dmanisi Archaeological Museum-Reserve;
• Van Museum-Reserve of Archeology;
• Svaneti Museum of History and Ethnography (Mestia);
• Signakh Museum.

The main museum of the country presents unique collections jewelry from ancient Colchis, a collection of paintings by Georgian artists, as well as many works of national, Western European and Russian decorative applied arts.

Today, the National Museum of Georgia is actively engaged in educational and research activities. The branches open courses of traditional Georgian crafts, an international summer school and other projects.

Museum collections and exhibitions of the National Museum of Georgia

Simon Janashia Museum of Georgia is considered the main building of the museum complex, most often tourists who want to get acquainted with the history and art of Georgia visit it. Here are the most important historical documents and archaeological finds from ancient times to the present.

The exposition of the Museum of Georgia contains unique artifacts: a collection of stones with Urartian texts, medieval icons, a collection of 80 thousand coins different eras, the fossilized remains of the Homo Ergaster hominid, as well as jewelry from Akhalgori dating back to the 5th BC. e.

Collection of arts and crafts:

IN Museum of the Soviet occupation, located in the adjacent building, you can see an exhibition dedicated to the period when Georgia was part of the USSR. It tells about the victims of political repression, the country's insurrectionary movements and gaining independence.

Lovers of fine and applied arts can visit National art gallery or State Art Museum of Georgia. The collections of these institutions contain paintings of Georgian, Oriental, Russian and European art.

Ethnographical museum And Museum of History of Georgia will tell their guests about the history and development of the country in different time periods. Also in Tbilisi there are several museum houses dedicated to famous compatriots.

In addition to permanent exhibitions, the institution regularly hosts numerous exhibitions in its branches. You can see all the collections and the poster of exhibitions for 2019 on the official website of the National Museum of Georgia.

Opening hours of the National Museum of Georgia and ticket prices

All buildings of the museum complex are open daily from 10:00 to 18:00. Last start of visitors at 17:30. Monday is a day off. The museum is also closed public holidays: January 1, 2, 7, 19, March 3, 8, April 9, 26-29, May 9, 12, 26, August 28, October 14, November 23.

Ticket price:

• Adults - 3-7 GEL (prices vary depending on the museum);
• Students - 1 lari;
• Students - 0.5 GEL;
• Children under 6 years old - free of charge.

Tour service:

• Sightseeing tour of foreign language(duration 1 hour) - 45 GEL;
• Detailed tour in a foreign language (duration 1.5-2 hours) - 60 GEL;
• Excursion for schoolchildren (group up to 15 people) - 60 GEL;
• Individual excursion (by agreement) - 200 GEL.

In addition to excursions in Georgian, English, German and Russian, audio guides are available.

I already said a little about the museums of Tbilisi in a previous post, but, strictly speaking, in ethnographic museum we were not. But on our last day in Georgia, we made up for lost time by visiting three museums of the capital. First of all, we went to the National Museum of Georgia. Simona Janashia - main museum country, known primarily for its magnificent collection of Colchian gold jewelry from the 6th-4th centuries BC. But there is also a curious collection of ancient icons, magnificent examples of gold embroidery, an archaeological exposition, a fine selection of Iranian portraits of the Qajar era, as well as an odious museum of the Soviet occupation, where, of course, we did not go. Despite the huge amount of treasures, you can take pictures in the museum absolutely freely and any exhibits (in general, things are not bad with photography in Georgia, problems sometimes arose only in especially strict monasteries). And there is also a decent-level museum shop with a good selection of souvenirs and literature, including in Russian.

One of the most famous exhibits of the museum is golden women's pendants from Akhalgori (IV century BC), made in the Colchis style.

But the museum begins with an exposition dedicated to the primitive communal system.

Gold Colchian jewelry from Sairkhe (IV century BC).

Golden pendant from the grave of a noble Colchis woman from Vanya (5th century BC).

Pin from the burial in Vani (IV century BC).

From there - a beautiful silver belt (late IV century BC).

Hunting scenes are skillfully engraved on the belt.

Golden stripes on clothes from the burial of a noble person (IV century BC).

Silver spoon with the image of a bull and a dog (IV-III centuries BC).

A dish from a Roman period burial (II-III centuries AD).

Silver dish of the Sasanian era (III-V centuries AD).

Bracelets made of gold and gems from Armazi (III-V centuries AD).

The necklace is from there.

Magnificent silver vessels with hunting scenes (III-IV centuries AD).

Fine necklace from Armazi (II century AD).

Sandstone stele, Eastern Georgia (VIc).

Stele with Biblical scenes (VIII-IX centuries, South Georgia).

Air, gold embroidery (XIV century).

And its wonderful details.

Manuscript of the 12th-13th centuries and tools of a medieval scribe and miniaturist.

Icon of John the Baptist (early 14th century).

Large triptych of the Virgin (beginning of the XIV century).

And its details are Joachim and Anna.

Wonderful sakkos (Ipol. XVIII century).

Here are such luxurious embroideries on it.

Fresco of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste, from the Church of Khala (end of the 15th-beginning of the 16th centuries), Western Georgia.

Another fine example of gold embroidery is a church shroud from Imereti (XVI century).

Nativity of Christ and Baptism (icons of the 17th century, Urbnisi, Eastern Georgia).

Gospel of the 16th century

Reliefs depicting King Ashot (left panel) (IXc) from the Clareti Monastery (now the territory of Turkey).

The Colchis cap (II-I centuries BC) was used for soldering when decorating precious metal products with precious stones.

Gospel of Alaverdi (1054, cover of the 17th century).

Figurines of the Bronze and Early Iron Ages.

And also a figurine of the early Iron Age.

Lamps of the ancient period (Vani, 1st century BC).

Persian books with miniatures of the 18th century.

The Museum of Georgia has a magnificent collection of Iranian Qajar portraits of the 19th century:

Woman with a mirror.

Sisters.

Musician.

Portrait of Faridun.

Portrait of Abbas Mirza.

Mohammed Shah.

Portrait of a woman from the time of Nasreddin Shah. This fashion spread in the Shah's harem after Nasreddin's visit to Russia, where he first saw the ballet. The enchanted shah, upon his return, ordered his wives and concubines to be dressed in this way.

And this is a decorative dish from Japan (XVIII-XIX centuries):

Opposite the museum is the Vorontsov Palace, built for the tsar's governor in the Caucasus, Mikhail Vorontsov.

A stone's throw from the Museum of Georgia on the same Rustaveli Avenue is the so-called. blue gallery - Art Museum of two and a half halls (albeit rather rather big ones), which contains the largest collection of paintings in the country by the famous Georgian artist Niko Pirosmani. In addition, there are many paintings by David Kakabadze and Lado Gudiashvili (who, to be honest, as draftsmen are immeasurably higher than the self-taught Pirosmani, but the paths of world fame are inscrutable).

National Gallery Georgia. Niko Pirosmani. Fisherman.

Niko Pirosmani. Still life.

Niko Pirosmani. Bear in the moonlight.

Niko Pirosmani. Donkey bridge.

Niko Pirosmani. Svir.

Niko Pirosmani. Tatar camel driver.

Deer is one of the samyz famous paintings artist.

Niko Pirosmani. Family picnic.

Niko Pirosmani. Kazhetinsky train.

David Kakabadze. Tsotskhali fish.

David Kakabadze. Three citizens.

David Kakabadze. Holiday with friends.

David Kakabadze. Self-portrait.

David Kakabadze. Imereti. My mother.

Lado Gudiashvili. Pegasus.

Blue Gallery - National Gallery of Georgia (1888).

Situation with art galleries in Tbilisi is quite confusing. In my opinion, the main art museum of Tbilisi is the Museum fine arts them. Amiranashvili, which is located on Freedom Square. There are fewer Georgian artists here, but there are Russian, Dutch, Italian artists, and even one Cranach. There is also a treasure chest in the museum, where you need to buy a separate ticket (visit only with a guided tour, and quite expensive) and where, unfortunately, we didn’t get - several noisy school groups stood in line in front of us, and we didn’t have to wait until they passed. there was no way. However, we did not experience a lack of museum impressions that day; Therefore, we preferred to finally look into the beloved Racha cafe, where we ended our stay in Georgia with the next consumption of khinkali with good local draft beer.

Gigo Gabashvili. Old Tbilisi.

Lado Gudashvili. At a lake.

Yus van Cleve. Holy Family (XVI century).

Omophorion ser. XVII century with gospel scenes.

Shroud with scenes of mourning (XV century).

Konstantin Makovsky. Portrait of M. Volkonskaya.

The Museum of Fine Arts even has Lucas Cranach the Elder ("The Matchmaker").

Updated 04/07/2019

The museums of Tbilisi are vast and varied, and visiting them can take many days. Work in the capital of Georgia major museums countries and it is extremely difficult to single out one or two among them. And yet, if you do not have much time, and there are still many sights in Tbilisi, you should limit the list of museums to visit. Below is information about the most interesting and popular among tourists museums in the capital of Tbilisi.

Tbilisi National Museum

This complex is a whole network of museums, in which includes 13 institutions throughout Georgia. Therefore, another name - the Georgian National Museum - is more correct. They founded the network at the end of 2004, when reforms were being carried out throughout the country. In the wake of changes in the law and structure of many state institutions the most famous Georgian museums were combined into a single complex. This was done in order to optimize the management of such institutions. Professor David Lordkipanidze headed and currently manages the complex.

The National Museum of Tbilisi, or rather its prototype called the Caucasian Museum, was founded in 1825. Exhibits from all over Georgia were located here, and the museum itself was quite versatile. Throughout its history, the complex has experienced many trials, the transfer of the entire collection in 1921 to Europe, the return in 1945, damage during the change of power in 1991, a strong fire a year later. The building, which now houses the center of the National Museum - the Museum of Art of Georgia, became the base for the collections in 1920. Then, in turbulent revolutionary times, all the values ​​of the Georgian church were transferred here. Later, a collection of archaeological finds was also formed.

Currently, the National Museum of Tbilisi (its main building is the State Museum of Georgia) is interesting with exhibits related to the culture of the Caucasus. On the first floor there is a collection of antiquities of Georgia: weapons, coins, jewelry and pottery from the 2nd century BC. The fossilized remains of a representative of the species Homo ergaste, almost 2 million years old, are also interesting. The remains are evidence of the existence of species close to humans at that time somewhere outside of Africa. And another interesting collection is represented by stones with engraved Urartian inscriptions. The second and third floors are reserved for the museum of the Soviet occupation, which is also part of this network. I will tell about it a little lower.

Useful information about the Tbilisi National Museum

All museums of the network work the same way - from 10:00 to 18:00. Work week lasts from Tuesday to Sunday, Monday is a day off in the complex. Entrance ticket price is 5 lari(in other museums of the network, the cost may be less, up to 3 lari), and visitors under 18 can go for 0.5 lari.

Museum address: Shota Rustaveli Avenue, 3 (actually at the exit from the metro at the station "Freedom Square").

Useful information about the Pirosmani Museum

Pirosmani Museum in Tbilisi open from 11:00 to 19:00, the schedule is slightly different from the opening hours of many other museums in the Georgian capital. Weekends are regular days off - Saturday and Sunday. Entrance to the museum costs 3 lari, it does not have an official website.

You can get to the museum (Pirosmani Street, 29) on foot from the Vokzalnaya Ploshchad metro station (detailed article about).

Tbilisi Puppet Museum

The complex opened in Tbilisi in 1937. The initiator of the creation of the museum was Tinatin Tumanishvili, the author of children's books and a well-known Georgian teacher. At first, the institution occupied several rooms in kindergarten, then moved to the building of the House of Pioneers. The first collection included not only dolls, but also children's dishes, books and other toys. In the 1990s, when Georgia was fighting for independence, the museum was robbed by vandals. From the collection 24 author's dolls of the masters of the Netherlands, France and Switzerland disappeared. After the robbery, the museum was closed for 15 years, and again visitors were able to view the collection only in 2008. All the years the restoration and replenishment of the collection was carried out, but those same 24 dolls were never found. The restored museum has become much larger and more popular.

Now Tbilisi Puppet Museum has a fund of 3,000 objects, the main part of which are dolls and pupae. The time of their creation is limited to the 19th-21st centuries, and the geography is much more extensive. In addition to European toys, you can see dolls from Japan, China, and India. The works of Georgian masters also make up a significant part - many exhibits were created specifically for the collection, they are unique. In addition to ordinary specimens in the doll museum, you can see clockwork mechanical samples, folk creations, and musical figurines. The materials almost do not limit the imagination of the authors - there are works made of metal, wood, porcelain, plastic, ivory. Individual specimens are also interesting:

• Puppet doll - a girl with a pearl;
• Marina's mechanical doll that blows soap bubbles;
• dancing doll from Russia Svetlana;
• a whole ensemble that plays the chogur (analogous to domra).

Useful information about the puppet museum

Tbilisi Puppet Museum open from 11:00 to 18:00 during the light period from May to November and one hour less (until 17:00) the rest of the year. The museum is closed on Monday, like almost all museums in Tbilisi. Admission ticket costs 3 lari for all visitors. The address of the complex is Shavteli Street, 12, you can get here by many buses (bus stop "Baratashvili") or on foot from the metro station "Freedom Square".

In love with Georgia, Igor OZIN.

Let's hit it high: TOP-5 Tbilisi museums

4.5 (90%) VOTED 10