Nestled in the picturesque region of Adjara lies the intriguing Technological Museum dedicated to the Nobel Brothers, a family renowned for their significant contributions to industry and innovation. While many are familiar with Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite and the namesake of the prestigious Nobel Prize awarded to scientists, few know about his two brothers, Ludwig and Robert. Together, the Nobel brothers managed a weapons factory in St. Petersburg. In 1873, in an effort to optimize production costs, one of the brothers traveled to the Caucasus in search of cheaper raw materials for manufacturing rifle stocks than the imported wood they were using. Upon arriving in Baku, Robert Nobel discovered that the ground was rich in oil, and the city was in the midst of an “oil boom.” This revelation prompted the brothers to establish a company for oil extraction and refining, aptly named the “Nobel Brothers Oil Production Partnership.” When it came time to address transportation logistics, they decided to route their oil transit through Georgia.
As a result, an oil terminal was constructed in Batumi, and plans were set in motion for the railway connecting Baku, Tbilisi, and Batumi. The brothers also built an impressive kerosene pipeline stretching over 800 kilometers. These engineering feats were executed with remarkable technological prowess, and the pipeline was one of the most powerful of its time. Thanks to the active endeavors of the Nobel brothers, Batumi flourished as a vital port city.
Today, the legacy of the Nobel brothers’ inventions and their significant contributions to the development of Batumi is preserved in the Batumi Technological Museum, which opened its doors in 2007 in a towered house once owned by the brothers. Since 2012, the museum has been officially recognized by the National Committee for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage of Adjara.
The museum houses over 2,000 items that collectively narrate the story of the illustrious Nobel brothers and their impact on Batumi. Visitors can explore various technological advancements that emerged in the city during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Besides the Nobel family, other notable figures in Batumi’s oil industry included philanthropist A. Mantashov and the Rothschild family, both of whom played crucial roles in the region’s oil development. The introduction of new oil transit technologies allowed Batumi to engage in international trade.
On the second floor of the Nobel Museum in Batumi, exhibits related to the development of tea culture and the trade of Georgian wines, including those used in religious ceremonies, can be explored. Other important fields that flourished during this period in Batumi include printing and photography. For instance, visitors can admire various cameras and photographs by S. M. Prokudin-Gorsky, the pioneer of color photography. The museum also displays photographs of Georgia and preserved newspapers from that era. Tourists will find it fascinating to see bottles bearing the Nobel family’s trademark, which contain samples of refined oil.
The exhibits at the Nobel Brothers Museum reflect a pivotal era in Batumi’s economic and cultural development. Despite the modest size of the exhibition hall and the limited number of artifacts, history enthusiasts will find much to appreciate. Travelers have noted that children over the age of seven can engage with some of the items on display. A visit to the museum typically takes around 40 to 50 minutes to explore all the collections.
The museum is located in the northeastern part of the city at 3 Leselidze Street. Directly across the street is the Batumi State Arts Center, and just 350 meters away (a 10-minute walk) is the Central Railway Station of Batumi.