Mestia Museum of History and Ethnography

The exhibition begins in the Shota Chartolani Archaeological Hall, displaying coins from the 5th-century BCE Colchian tetri to medieval specimens. Next is the Christian treasury: 10th–12th century icons (a 10th-century icon of the Saviour, a 12th-century icon of the Forty Martyrs), engraved and painted images of the Mother of God from the 9th–10th centuries. A separate section houses manuscripts: the Adishi Gospels of 897 (one of the oldest dated Georgian New Testaments), the Mestia Tetraevangelion of 1033, and the 10th-century Jerusalem Canon. All exhibits are originals, preserved thanks to the region's isolation.

The ethnography hall contains 19th-century photographs of Svaneti, household objects, weapons, armour, and jewellery – a picture of daily life in mountain villages before modernisation. Syrian and Byzantine art is also represented: 6th-century bronze censers, 10th–11th century reliquaries, and a 13th-century Venetian cross.

The building meets international standards: climate control, professional lighting, and English-language descriptions throughout. There is a media library with books on Svaneti's history, a café with Wi-Fi, and a bookshop. Temporary exhibitions are held in a dedicated space.

Collection – over 4,000 items: icons, manuscripts, coins, weapons, jewellery

Adishi Gospels – New Testament dated 897, one of the oldest dated Georgian manuscripts

10th–12th c. icons – engraved and painted works including Byzantine and Syrian examples

Building – modern museum opened 2013 with climate control, designed by Gaga Kiknadze

National Museum – part of the Georgian National Museum system since 2004

The museum was founded in 1936 using the collection from the Church of St. George in Seti as its basis. During the Soviet period, the collection expanded with archaeological finds and ethnographic materials from across Svaneti. The 1980s building was designed in Soviet modernist style – massive concrete forms. In 2004, the museum joined the Georgian National Museum system.

In 2013, a new museum building opened, reconstructed to modern standards: a redesigned exhibition, climate control, lighting, and media library. An educational centre was added in 2015. Today, the museum is Upper Svaneti's main cultural institution, also responsible for preserving the region's architectural heritage, including the towers of Ushguli on the UNESCO list.

In Mestia:

7 Avtandil Ioseliani Street – 3 minutes' walk from the central square (Seti Square). Modern building with a stone fence.

Getting to Mestia:

- From Tbilisi: marshrutka 50 GEL (~$18, 8–10 hrs), Vanilla Sky flight 90 GEL (~$33, 1 hr)

- From Zugdidi: marshrutka 30 GEL (~$11, 3 hrs)

- From Kutaisi: marshrutka 40 GEL (~$15, 5–6 hrs)

- Car rental

Hours: Tuesday–Sunday, 10:00 AM–6:00 PM. Closed Mondays.

Time of day: Morning – fewer tourists. On rainy days, the museum is a perfect alternative to trekking.

Duration: 1–1.5 hours for the exhibition. With a foreign-language guided tour – up to 1.5 hours.

Tip: Visit early in your trip – the exhibition provides context for everything you'll see across Svaneti.