The Museum of Books: A Literary Sanctuary in Tbilisi

Located on Lado Gudiashvili Street in the heart of Tbilisi, the Museum of Books is an integral part of the National Parliamentary Library of Georgia. Established in 2017, this literary sanctuary holds a collection of over 10,000 items, connecting visitors to Georgia's written history that dates back to the 5th century. The museum is recognized as one of Europe's finest museums dedicated to the written word. The museum's collection includes the private libraries of notable figures such as Ilia Chavchavadze, Dimitri Bakradze, and Giorgi Chubinashvili, as well as the recently recovered book collections of Grand Duke Michael Nikolaevich Romanov and Brothers Zubalashvili. Among the notable gems are an Italian-Georgian dictionary from 1629, printed in Rome, and the first book printed in the Georgian language. Visitors can also marvel at books from the publishing house established by Georgian King Vakhtang VI in 1675, signifying Georgia's early ventures into the publishing world. The museum comprises four spaces: a museum of rare books, a museum dedicated to "The Knight in the Panther's Skin" (a medieval epic poem by Shota Rustaveli), Ilia's hall (exhibition of Ilia Chavchavadze's cabinet), and the Marie Brosset book depository. The building itself, completed in 1916 as a bank, became part of Georgia's libraries in 1931. The museum not only preserves and promotes Georgia's literary heritage but also hosts a plethora of international literary jewels, including autographed works of global luminaries such as Victor Hugo, Dmitri Mendeleev, and Antoine Renoir.