Museums Of Abkhazia

Abkhazian State Museum

This is the only major State Museum in Abkhazia, and in fact the only one that can acquaint tourists with the history and life of Abkhazia as a whole. The exhibition and exhibits are clean, everything is neat and well maintained. Therefore, we recommend that you visit it if you are at least a little interested in the history and culture of the country.

The exposition of the museum is small, and even if you stop and study each exhibit in detail, a couple of hours will be enough. The first floor is occupied by a section on the history of the region since ancient times, it also tells about the natural resources of the country. The second floor is fully occupied by an exhibition about the Second World War, as well as the Abkhazian-Georgian Armed Conflict of 1992-1993. Learn more about the museum here.

Hetsuriani House Museum

This is the Museum of the private collector Georgi Khetsuriani, who, on his own initiative, collected objects dedicated to the history and Ethnography of Abkhazia in his house all his life. Among the exhibits are traditional Abkhazian household items, models of houses, stuffed animals, etc. The main exhibit of the museum is an old Mercedes car, which was driven by the Prince of Oldenburg, the founder of the resort of Gagra. Also at the museum there is a tavern "Old Mill", rooms are rented to tourists.

Abaat Historical Museum

The full official name is the Gagra State Museum of local lore "Abaata". This is a small museum consisting of one hall, where there are several expositions dedicated to different historical periods in the life of the city. Periods are covered from the appearance of the first settlements on the site of modern Gagra in the I-th century BC, and ending with the present time. Much attention is paid to the personality of the Prince of Oldenburg, who is considered the founder of the resort. There are not very many exhibits, but thanks to the excursion, which is included in the ticket price, the visit will be informative, especially since this is the only museum in Gagra. Learn more about the museum here.

Stalin's dacha on Lake Ritsa

Stalin's dacha on Lake Ritsa is one of about twenty Generalissimo dachas that operated throughout the former USSR, and is believed to have been one of his favorites. This is not surprising, because it is located on the shore of Lake Ritsa surrounded by beautiful green mountains. Today, any tourist can visit this place as a historical landmark.

It can not be said that this is a must-visit place, because there is not much to see here, and the architecture is quite unremarkable. But with a good guide, the tour of the dacha becomes unexpectedly exciting. Read more about Stalin's dacha here.

Museum-dacha of Stalin in New Athos

Stalin's dacha in New Athos as a museum was opened quite recently, but it looks like a very old landmark: everything is dilapidated and unkempt. Nevertheless, if you are interested in the history of the Soviet period, or just have nothing to do during your vacation in New Athos, you should visit it, especially with excursion accompaniment. But without the guide's story about the history and features of this place, the visit will not be so interesting.

In addition to the building of the museum-dacha, the territory of the complex is also interesting. There are many tropical plants growing here, there are paths and benches for recreation (though very old). And be sure to go up to the observation deck, which offers a breathtaking view of the coast. Read more about the museum-dacha of Stalin in New Athos here.

Museum of the Abkhazian Kingdom

This is a small museum dedicated to the history of states on the territory of modern Abkhazia, from the Stone Age to the present day, as well as the peculiarities of everyday life, economic structure and characteristic features of the Abkhazians. The exposition is modest, but generally informative: archaeological finds, household items, photographs, documents, maps, etc. are presented. Separately and in detail it is told about the history of the New Athos monastery. It was then that the acquaintance of the Russian empire with the culture of Abkhazia began. Learn more about the Museum of the Abkhazian Kingdom here.

Museum of Military Glory in New Athos

This museum-memorial was opened on September 30, 2002 and is dedicated to those who died during the 1992-1993 war with Georgia. The exposition mainly consists of photographs of the dead and their awards, among which are not only Abkhazians, but also volunteers from Russia. A belfry is installed on top of the memorial.