🏛️ Georgiy Khorguashvili Museum of Local History in Kaspi: history, artifacts and exhibits - a guide to the culture of Georgia 🇬🇪
📚 What is the article about?
- 🏛 Why the museum was named after Giorgi Khorguashvili
- ⚱️ What rare finds (from a bronze statue of Dionysus to an oinochoe from the 1st century AD) are hidden in display cases
- 🏰 Which four house-museum branches can be visited with one ticket
- 🚍 How to get there: bus/minibus from Tbilisi and exact coordinates for the navigator
- 🍲 Where to have lunch if you stay in Kaspi until the evening
- 💡 Madloba editorial advice: the best season, cash, communications, a traveler's checklist
- ❓ Answers to the 7 most frequently asked questions about the museum
| 🏛 Name | Georgiy Khorguashvili Local History Museum |
|---|---|
| 📍 Address | ul. Giorgi Saakadze, 84, Kaspi, Shida Kartli region |
| 📅 Year of foundation | 1960 (the exposition opened in 1963) |
| 🏷 Type | Historical, local history museum |
| 🖼 Collection | 19,082 exhibits: archeology, ethnography, numismatics, painting |
| ⏰ Mode | Daily from 10:00 to 18:00, except Sunday and Monday |
| 🎟 Tickets |
Schoolchildren / students - 0.5 ლ, adults - 1 ლ, excursion - 3 ლ. Free: children under 6; museum employees (Georgia + abroad); ICOM members; people with disabilities; refugees. |
| 📞 Contacts | (+995 371) 22-24-14 • [email protected] |
| 🌐 Coordinates | 41.919963, 44.421018 |
🏺 History and mission in a nutshell
Founded in 1960 and opened to the public in 1963, the Kaspi Museum of Local History houses 19,000+ artifacts, from Trialeti ceramics to a bronze Dionysus. In 2017, it was named after the tireless local historian Giorgi Khorguashvili.
“We must speak in the voice of ceramics and bronze,” the scientist reminded.
Currently, the museum team:
🔸 documents the findings of expeditions 🔍
🔸 collects stories of local families 👵👦
🔸 conducts “past in the palms” lessons for schoolchildren 📚
📦 19,082
exhibits — from
Neolithic scrapers to the 20th century photo archive
Neolithic scrapers to the 20th century photo archive
🏛 4
branches in historical villages — Lamiskana, Khovle, Kavtiskhevi, Sasireti
👩🏫 3
school programs: "Lesson in the Museum", "Our Past", "Museum — a Storage of Antiquities"
💾 6,000+
digitized items in the new digital catalog 2023
🎯 Main mission
- Preserve the cultural heritage of Trialeti and Kaspi County.
- Show that “archaeology is not dust, but a dialogue of generations.”
- Inspire guests to preserve history — each visit helps restore another exhibit.
“We speak with the voice of ceramics and bronze, so that the past can shape the future” is the will of Georgiy Khorguashvili, embodied in every hall of the museum.
📈 A bit of history
🔹 1950s — the idea and the “archaeological holidays”
The teachers stored the finds right in the classrooms, and the “archaeological holidays” of 1958 produced the first catalog — 86 items.
The teachers stored the finds right in the classrooms, and the “archaeological holidays” of 1958 produced the first catalog — 86 items.
🔹 June 22, 1960 — the official start
The “Caspian Historical and Local History Fund” was registered. The first “building” was two unheated rooms of the Community Center.
The “Caspian Historical and Local History Fund” was registered. The first “building” was two unheated rooms of the Community Center.
🔹 1961-1963 — expeditions and discovery
The village donated the old zemstvo school of 1912, and on July 15, 1963, the first exhibition opened (1,420 exhibits).
The village donated the old zemstvo school of 1912, and on July 15, 1963, the first exhibition opened (1,420 exhibits).
🔹 1970s — "explosion of the collection"
New excavations of the Georgian Institute of Archaeology doubled the collection; a bronze Dionysus appeared🍇. In 1978, the museum became a regional scientific center.
New excavations of the Georgian Institute of Archaeology doubled the collection; a bronze Dionysus appeared🍇. In 1978, the museum became a regional scientific center.
🔹 1989-1992 — hard years
Political unrest ➜ partial evacuation to Gori. The building was damaged by fire, but the collection was saved.
Political unrest ➜ partial evacuation to Gori. The building was damaged by fire, but the collection was saved.
🔹 2017 — named after Georgiy Khorguashvili
For the 100th anniversary of the local historian, the museum received a new name, charter and funding for branch museums 🏡⚔️.
For the 100th anniversary of the local historian, the museum received a new name, charter and funding for branch museums 🏡⚔️.
🏺 What will surprise you at the local history museum in Kaspi
⚒️ Archaeology is the "gold" of Trialeti
- 14th–7th centuries BC — Trialeti pottery, battle axes, daggers, and spearheads.
- 3rd century BC — gilded silver disk found in Sasireti ✨.
- 3rd–2nd centuries BC — miniature bronze Dionysus 🍇, a rare guest of the ancient pantheon in Georgia.
- 1st century AD — three oinochoes 🍶 with perfectly preserved relief.
👘 Ethnography and crafts
- Horse harness, embroidered belts and wedding suit of Khevsureti 👰.
- Musical instruments and household items of the 19th-20th centuries - "speaking" about the everyday life of ancestors.
💰 Numismatics
- Coins of the Bagration era, including the signature drachma of King David IV 🪙.
🖼️ Painting and graphics
- Kasettins by local artists celebrating anniversaries (Shatberashvili and others).
- Permanent "street gallery" - a photo archive of disappearing courtyards of Kaspi.
| 🏷 Section | 📝 What you will see | ✨ «The highlight» |
|---|---|---|
| ⚒️ Bronze Age Archaeology | Trialeti ceramics, axes, daggers, spearheads (13th-7th centuries BC) | East Georgian ornamented battle axe |
| 🏺 Antiquity | Gilded silver disk (3rd century BC), bronze Dionysus (3rd-2nd centuries BC), oinochoe (1st century AD) | Mini sculpture of Dionysus 12 cm 🍇 |
| 🛡️ Middle Ages | Glazed tableware, numismatic series of the Bagration kings | Coin of David IV "the Builder" |
| 👘 Ethnography of the 19th–20th centuries. | Embroidery, musical instruments, folk costumes | Full women's wedding dress Khevsureti 👰 |
🎯 Exhibitions you can catch
- 👶 Children's exhibition - a look at history through the work of young artists.
- 🎨 Dedicated to the anniversary of G. Shatberashvili - a unique exhibition reflecting the work of one of the outstanding artists of the Caspian.
- 🖼️ Three personal exhibitions of Caspian artists - works by talented local masters, revealing the culture and life of the region.
💬 What visitors say
Nino, Tbilisi: «💖 The museum left a lasting impression! The history of Kaspi is conveyed through the exhibits with such soul!"
Levan, Turkey: "📜 Magnificent collection! Learned a lot about the ancient history of the region. Will definitely come back!"
Ekaterina, Kutaisi: "🌍 This is not just a museum, it is a real time machine! Felt like a part of the past."
Grigory, Russia: "🎨 Very impressive works of local artists. They reflect the soul of the region and its culture!"
| 🛣 Method | ⏱ Time | 📝 Details |
|---|---|---|
| 🚌 Tbilisi → Kaspi Minibus | ~1 h 15 min | From Didube Bus Station, every 40 min |
| 🚕 Taxi from Gori | 25 min | ≈ 25 ლ per car |
| 🚶 From the center of Kaspi | 10 min | Follow the street. G. Saakadze to No. 88 |
| 🚗 Private transfer | 30 min | Upon request, convenient for groups |
🌍 GPS coordinates:
41.9200124, 44.420507
🍴 Where to have a bite • 🛏 Where to spend the night
- The city has local cafes with traditional cuisine and light snacks. Some offer cozy street cafes with mountain views.
- Local hotels and guest houses offer comfortable rooms with beautiful views, or you can choose a budget option - private rooms or hostels.
🧳 What a tourist should consider
🌡️ Summer temperature up to +35°C
❄️ There may be frosts in winter
📶 Mobile connection available, Wi-Fi limited
💵 Take cash GEL
🧾 Pre-trip checklist
🚰 Water
👟 Comfortable shoes
📸 Camera
🦟 Repellent
🏡 Branches "one route"
💥 The Georgiy Khorguashvili Museum of Local History in Kaspi is a place where history comes to life and each exhibit has its own voice. Be sure to visit it to see the cultural heritage of Georgia and learn more about life on this land from ancient times to the present day.
Don't miss the chance to touch living history and respect the memory of the past! ✨
🗣️ Now the floor is yours
🗨️ Share your museum experience in the comments!
Which exhibits impressed you the most? Your stories are an important part of cultural heritage.
ℹ️ Information is current as of June 2025. Found an inaccuracy? Write to us — we will help make the guide even more accurate! 🙏
❓ FAQ — the questions you ask most often
- 💬 Do I need to book a tour? — For groups of >10 people, it is better to call a day in advance.
- 📸 Is photography allowed? — Yes, without flash; tripod — by arrangement.
- 🚌 Is there a direct bus from Tbilisi? — Yes, minibus “Didube → Kaspi”.
- 🗺 Is it possible to visit the branches in one day? — Yes, if you have a car; a common ticket.
- 👶 Is it suitable for children? — There is an interactive “Lesson in the Museum” (6+).
- ♿ Is it accessible? — Ramps at the entrance, but the basements do not have an elevator.
- 🍽 Is there a cafe inside? — Only vending coffee; cafe 200 m away.
- 💻 Wi-Fi? — There is a mobile connection, but Wi-Fi is limited
- 🌍 How long does the tour take? — Usually 1–1.5 hours, including all exhibits.
- 🏛️ Is it possible to book a private tour? - Yes, you need to contact the museum in advance.
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