Tbilisi History Museum
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The Museum of Tbilisi's History, a treasury of material and spiritual values of Georgian people was founded in 1910. That time it was named "Municipal Museum", because it was established by the Municipality.

During 90 years more than 50 thousand items have been collected. This collection was enabling the Museum to expose the complete hi story of the town. The life and culture beginning from the IV millennium B.C., since the first inhabitants were settled here. This enabled the museum to present the incessant course of urban development through its important stages. Up to the XIX century Tbilisi was a typical oriental town with its Caravanserais and bazaars, houses with verandahs and balconies, with narrow lanes. The contact with Russian and European cultures gave European imprint to the life fashion of Tbilisi and to its external appearance. In the XIX century in the old part of the town, in the vicinity of Sioni Cathedral, where there were remnants of a Caravanserai built by the King Rostom in XVII century, a new Caravanserai was built. In 1912 the facade of the building was decorated. After restoration of 1980 this historical building became the residence for The Museum of Tbilisi's History.

Unique archaeological, ethnographical, documentary material, many masterpieces of folk and applied arts (carpets, kilims, etc.) are kept here. The Museum holds the richest photograph-collection which perfectly shows the views of the town, its life and its inhabitants. The Museum keeps many paintings, printings and graphical works of Georgian and foreign artists, depicting Tbilisi and its citizens in their rather colorful spectra. Alongside with the material depicting the past, The Museum of Tbilisi's History represents modern art too.

The modern Art department was founded in 1986 and is on the third floor of the building. The modern Art department of Tbilisi history museum exhibits the state of modern Georgian Art. Back in the former soviet time rather bold, nowadays Historical exhibitions were arranged, namely Georgian Neoexpressionism, Transavangard, Free Figuration, Installation, Video-Art, Performance and other trends and directions.

 

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