Adjara regional museum

The Adjara Regional Museum named after Khariton Akhvlediani is nestled on a quaint street in Batumi, housed within a spacious, historic building. With a rich history spanning over a century, the museum comprises several sections that introduce both residents and visitors to the region’s development, tracing its journey from the era of ancient seas to contemporary times and the artifacts crafted by human hands just recently. Informational displays accompany most exhibits in three languages: Georgian, Russian, and English.

The Batumi Regional Museum offers an engaging experience for adults and children alike, providing a wealth of knowledge about the Adjara region, its history, and its natural, cultural, and other unique features. The museum was officially founded on March 19, 1908, when a small exhibition was established at the Pushkin School in Batumi by a dedicated group of students and educators led by labor teacher Nikolai Goman, who were passionate about the history of their homeland.

Over the years, the exhibition has expanded with new collections and discoveries, eventually outgrowing its original space. In 1930, the museum was relocated to a separate building previously occupied by the treasury, where it remains today. In 1957, a second floor was added to the building, significantly increasing the available exhibition space.

Since April 6, 2005, the museum has borne the name of Khariton Akhvlediani, a prominent Georgian scholar and public figure who served as its director for over 50 years, from 1938 to 1989. He played a crucial role in the museum’s development, collection enhancement, and elevation of its status.

Currently, the two-story Adjara Museum features four departments dedicated to nature, archaeology, ethnography, and history, housing a multitude of unique and rare artifacts. Items that do not fit into any of the four main sections are displayed in the museum’s inner courtyard. In total, the Batumi Regional Museum showcases approximately 170,000 exhibits.

The museum also possesses a manuscript collection of over 2,000 unique manuscripts in various languages from peoples that have significantly influenced the region’s history, including a 1666 Armenian Bible. The museum’s library holds around 63,000 books.

In the first hall of the Khariton Akhvlediani State Museum of Adjara, which is also the largest (containing 6,700 exhibits), one can find an early geological map of the region. According to this map, Adjara was once covered by the sea until a series of geological changes emerged, giving rise to land. Among the exhibits are fossilized plants from the Goderdzi Forest, which thrived before volcanic eruptions, as well as collections of leaves and trunks from vegetation that existed in the past and is still present today.

The nature department also includes a zoological section featuring butterflies and other insects, taxidermied birds, fish, and reptiles that once inhabited the area. Additionally, there are boxes containing samples of sedimentary rocks and minerals from the region.

This department showcases around 1,500 exhibits, including tools, household items, jewelry, and coins from various eras—ranging from the Stone Age to the ancient Greek civilization, pre-Christian times, and the Middle Ages. A significant portion of the artifacts is connected to Greek culture, as Greeks settled in the territory of Colchis in the 5th century B.C. Numerous items from their culture were discovered during archaeological excavations at the site of the ancient fortress city of Gonio.

The most valuable artifact from the Greek period is a krater, adorned with well-preserved depictions from myths, discovered in 1967 in Pichvnari, near Kobuleti. This ancient ceramic piece, resembling a vase, was used for mixing wine and water and dates back to the 5th century B.C.

The ethnography department aims to illustrate the cultural development of Adjara. The centerpiece of the hall is a life-sized replica of a traditional Adjara home from the late 19th century. The interior is detailed, allowing visitors to see a bed, hearth, chest, cupboard, dishes, woven baskets, and figures representing the household—a man and a woman. Surrounding the home are items essential for family life at that time, including weapons, food storage vessels, and hand mills.

Another collection in this department features Georgian clothing made exclusively from natural materials—wool, silk, cotton, and linen. Samples of both women’s (including a wedding dress) and men’s attire (such as chakura, leather boots, and local bast shoes) are showcased, along with handmade items.

The department also boasts an impressive collection of agricultural tools and weapons, including axes, wooden and clay pottery, models of houses from various social strata in Adjara, and national musical instruments.

This department displays a vast array of photographs, newspapers, and paintings that narrate the stories of cultural monuments and notable individuals who have left their mark on Adjara’s history. Visitors will find it fascinating to examine models of Batumi through different centuries, showcasing the city’s evolution over time.

The history hall features a collection of weaponry, including spears, sabers, yataghans, flint weapons, grenades, and pistols. Among the exhibits are Georgian warriors clad in 16th-century chainmail, weighing 30 kilograms, armed with weapons appropriate for their era.

Among the other intriguing exhibits at the Adjara Regional Museum are:

• A collection of anomalous domestic animals, showcasing unique breeds and peculiarities.
• An eighteen-meter skeleton of a whale, generously donated to the museum by two captains.
• Paintings by renowned artists, both Georgian and international, adding a touch of artistic heritage to the museum.
• Antique cannons and a vintage tractor, reflecting the technological advancements of past eras.