Museum of Soviet Occupation
Photo: uncelebrating 1921-1991 — CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Established in 2006, the Museum of Soviet Occupation in Tbilisi presents over 3,000 exhibits detailing Georgia’s history under Soviet rule and the national liberation movement.
Planning your visit
The Museum of Soviet Occupation occupies a floor of the Georgian National Museum, and its position is explicit from the name: Georgia was independent from 1918 until the Red Army invaded in 1921, and the museum treats the seventy years that followed as occupation rather than union.
Over 3,000 exhibits cover the repression: the executions of the 1920s and 30s, the deportations, the 1924 uprising crushed with thousands killed, and the 1956 and 1989 demonstrations in Tbilisi that ended in troops firing on crowds. A railway carriage used for executions is displayed. Files, photographs and personal effects of the disappeared fill the rest.
The framing is contested by Russia and reflects the politics of a country that fought a war with its northern neighbour in 2008, which visitors should hold in mind.
Stalin was Georgian, a fact the museum addresses directly rather than avoiding. Allow an hour. Bookable options include guided tours. Current availability is shown below.
Before you book
Where is Museum of Soviet Occupation?
Museum of Soviet Occupation is in Tbilisi, Georgia. The map on this page marks its exact location.
How long should I allow for Museum of Soviet Occupation?
Allow an hour. That is the time the collection itself takes at an unhurried pace, before any queue.
Do I need to book Museum of Soviet Occupation in advance?
Guided tours run to a fixed schedule and small group sizes, so they are usually booked ahead.
