Tbilisi: See
=== Museums ===
The Georgian National Museum is the umbrella organisation for a dozen museums and other sites in Tbilisi and elsewhere, with practical info in English. Usually they charge 7 lari for an adult, and are closed Mondays.
1 Open Air Museum of Ethnography (ეროვნული მუზეუმი ღია ცის ქვეშ), Kus Tba 1 (1 Turtle Lake Road, Tortoise pond lane) კუსტბის გზა #1) (Bus 59 from Metro Rustaveli; Bus 9 from station square and a little walk up), ☏ +995 32 2729045, fax: +995 32 2982133. Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00. Part of the Georgian National Museum. "Skansen"-type museum with 70 houses and other buildings characteristic of the various parts of Georgia, plus household gadgetry and craft tools. The houses are in variable states of repair, some are tumbledown but especially those near the entry gate are okay and with helpful docents. Allow a half day for a visit, a quiet escape from the city. Adults 25 lari, guided tour 60 lari. (updated Oct 2018)
2 Museum of Fine Arts (საქართველოს ხელოვნების მუზეუმი), 1 Gudiashvili Street (Metro: Liberty Sq.), ☏ +995 32 999909, fax: +995 32 2982133. Tue–Sun 10:00–18:00. Part of the Georgian National Museum. Large permanent collection from antiquity to present. Adults 3 lari, students 1 lari. (updated Oct 2018)
3 Tbilisi History Museum (Former Caravanserai / თბილისის ისტორიის მუზეუმი), #8 Sioni St, ☏ +995 32 2982281, fax: +995 32 2982133, info@museum.ge. Tue–Sun 10:00–18:00. Part of the Georgian National Museum. Adults 3 lari, students 1 lari. (updated Oct 2018)
4 Museum of Georgia (საქართველოს ისტორიის ჯანაშიას სახ. მუზეუმი, Simon Janashia Museum), 3 Shota Rustaveli avenue (Metro: Freedom Square 200 m), ☏ +995 32 299 8022, fax: +995 32 298 2133, info@museum.ge. Tue–Sun 10:00–18:00. Part of the Georgian National Museum, the Museum of Georgia houses Caucasian artefacts of archaeology and ethnography. A permanent exposition follows developments from the Bronze Age to the early 20th century. Gold was mined and worked here from a very early date - it was probably the origin of the "Golden Fleece" legend - so the area developed its own style, which influenced Achaemenid and Hellenistic jewellery. The most valuable exhibits include Homo ergaster fossils discovered at Dmanisi; the Akhalgori hoard of the 5th century BC; a collection of 80,000 coins chiefly of Georgian minting; medieval icons and goldsmith pieces collected from various sites in Georgia; and a lapidary with a rich collection of Urartian inscriptions. Nominally a separate Museum of Soviet Occupation, but simply the 4th floor of the same building, depicts Georgia's treatment at the hands of its neighbour, from 19th-century tsarist expansion through Soviet times to the conflict over Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Adults 7 lari, students 1 lari, guided tour in English 45 lari. (updated Oct 2018)
5 Puppet Museum (Doll Museum), 17 Shavteli N St (Metro Freedom Square), ☏ +995 32 995337. Apr-Oct: Tue–Sun 11:00–18:00, Nov-Mar: Tue–Sun 11:00–17:00. …