Tbilisi Open Air Museum of Ethnography

| Museums | 13 seen

The open-air Museum of Tbilisi is one of the coolest attractions in Tbilisi, situated in the footsteps of Turtle lake. Many cultural events are held here.

The museum is located west to Turtle Lake on a hill overlooking the Vake district, Tbilisi. It is essentially a historic village populated by buildings moved there from all main territorial subdivisions of Georgia.

I've been heading here ever since I remember myself in Tbilisi. See: Few shots from Tbilisi Cheese Festival

Open air museum from a drone flight

Open air museum from a drone flight

There is an awesome restaurant located near the park (upper side), offering spectacular views towards the city and of course delicious meals - see: Rachis Ubani Tbilisi Restaurant Review

The Giorgi Chitaia Open Air Museum of Ethnography is an open-air museum in Tbilisi, Georgia, displaying the examples of folk architecture and craftwork from various regions of the country.

Open air museum in Tbilisi

Open air museum in Tbilisi

The museum is named after Giorgi Chitaia, a Georgian ethnographer, who founded the museum on April 27, 1966. Since December 30, 2004, it has been administered as part of the Georgian National Museum.

Open air museum in Tbilisi

Open air museum in Tbilisi

The museum occupies 52 hectares of land and is arranged in eleven zones, displaying around 70 buildings and more than 8,000 items.

Dwelling houses at Open air museum in Tbilisi

Dwelling houses at Open air museum in Tbilisi

The exhibition features the traditional darbazi-type and fiat-roofed stone houses from eastern Georgia, openwork wooden houses with gable roofs of straw or boards from western Georgia, watchtowers from the mountainous provinces of Khevsureti, Pshavi, and Svaneti, Megrelian and Imeretian wattle maize storages, Kakhetian wineries (marani), and Kartlian water mills as well as a collection of traditional household articles such as distaffs, knitting-frames, chums, clothes, carpets, pottery and furniture.

Open air museum in Tbilisi

Open air museum in Tbilisi / views towards city from a drone flight

There are also an early Christian "Sioni" basilica from Tianeti and a 6th-7th century familial burial vault with sarcophagus.

Small open air stage at the museum

Small open air stage at the museum

Since 2004, the museum has been hosting an annual summertime folk culture festival Art-Gene founded and managed by the Georgian rock musician and folk enthusiast Zaza Korinteli ("Zumba")

Museum park is best reached using private vehicle or taxi. There is an entrance fee of GEL 5 per person (or GEL 1 if coming after 18:00). at least in 2020

Location
41.7042747, 44.7421626