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Borjomi Museum of Local Lore

Stone and brick Borjomi Museum of Local Lore with a pointed corner turret and arched porch below forested hills
Photo: Kojima Yasuhiro, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

The essentials in 10 seconds

Ticket
3–5 GEL per adult — guidebooks quote different figures
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Hours
From 10:00; until 17:00 November–March, 18:00–19:00 in summer
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Time on site
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes.
1 h
With kids
Fine with kids
Pupils and students
≈ 1 GEL
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Guided tour
15–30 GEL; English costs more than Georgian
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Closed
Mondays
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Payment
Bring cash in lari — card payment isn't confirmed
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Address
5 Saint Nino Street (Tsminda Nino), Borjomi
Coordinates
41.84154, 43.37830YesGo MapGoogleApple
Getting there
≈ 5 min on foot from the bus station, ≈ 10 min from Borjomi Park station, 20–25 min from the Central Park gates
Time needed
About 1 hour; 1.5 hours with a guide

Key facts

1890the year the pseudo-Gothic building went up
4 sourcesRussian WikipediaMadlobaGeorgia.travelWikidata
Romanov estate officebefore 1917 it administered the Borjomi estate of Grand Duke Mikhail Romanov, Viceroy of the Caucasus
2 sourcesRussian WikipediaMadloba
3 floorsof displays: history and archaeology, Romanov items and mineral water, nature of the gorge
2 sourcesRussian WikipediaRed Fedora Diary
36,000–38,000objects in the collection — sources give different totals
3 sourcesGeorgian Holidays (36,000)Madloba (37,000+)Georgia.travel and Georgia.to (38,000)
1926the year it opened, first as a forest museum
3 sourcesRussian WikipediaMadlobaGeorgian Holidays
1938the year it became the museum of local lore
2 sourcesRussian WikipediaGeorgia.travel (gives it as the founding year)
V. Shveierthe German-born architect of the building
3 sourcesRussian WikipediaMadlobaGeorgia.travel
5th century BCthe oldest coins in the numismatic collection
2 sourcesMadlobaGeorgian Holidays
Bronze Agetools, jewellery and weapons excavated around Borjomi
3 sourcesRussian WikipediaMadlobaGeorgian Holidays
First bottlesand labels of Borjomi water, plus international exhibition diplomas
3 sourcesRussian WikipediaLive The WorldRed Fedora Diary
Petrified treeone of the finds in the natural history section
2 sourcesGeorgia.to (from the Goderdzi Pass)Live The World

How much are tickets?

Adult entry is 3–5 GEL — unofficial figures, since the museum doesn't publish a price list. Older guides say 3 GEL, more recent ones 5 GEL. Pupils and students are quoted at about 1 GEL.

You can book a guided tour at the desk. Prices vary by source: around 15 GEL in Georgian, and 15–30 GEL in English. If you don't read Georgian or Russian, the tour is worth it — the labels on the displays are brief.

No need to book ahead; the desk at the door is enough. Card payment here isn't confirmed, so bring small notes in lari.

Opening hours and closing day

The museum opens Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 and is closed on Mondays. Closing time changes with the season: guides give 17:00 for the colder months and 18:00 or 19:00 in summer. These are unofficial, so in spring and autumn plan around the earlier time.

It's the obvious choice for a wet afternoon. Borjomi gets plenty of cloud, and this is one of the few indoor sights in town. On a clear day, walk the Central Park first and drop in on your way back to the bus station.

What is the museum, and why the Romanov connection?

The building dates from 1890 and was designed in a pseudo-Gothic style by the architect V. Shveier. Borjomi then belonged to the imperial family, and this was the office that ran the Borjomi estate of Grand Duke Mikhail Romanov, Viceroy of the Caucasus. That's why locals still call it the Romanov chancellery. It was never a royal residence, though — the summer palace is out in Likani.

The museum opened in 1926 as a forest museum about the woods of the Borjomi gorge, and has been the museum of local lore since 1938. It's one of the oldest museums in Georgia and covers the whole story of the resort, from the Bronze Age to bottled water.

The collection runs to 36,000–38,000 objects, depending on the source. Only part is on show, but the layout is easy to follow: ancient history downstairs, the Romanov era and the water in the middle, nature at the top.

What to see inside

  • Ground floor — history and archaeology. Stone tools, Bronze Age jewellery and weapons from local digs, a big coin collection going back to the 5th century BC, models of traditional Georgian houses and folk costume.
  • Second floor — the Romanovs. European and Asian porcelain, glass and bronze tableware from the grand dukes' households, plus paintings and drawings from the years when Borjomi was a family estate.
  • The mineral water display. The first Borjomi bottles and labels, diplomas from international exhibitions and a giant papier-mâché bottle. It explains how a spring in a gorge became a brand sold across the old empire.
  • Top floor — nature. Stuffed birds and animals, plants and insects from the forests of Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park, and a petrified tree. This is the floor kids tend to like best.
  • The building itself. Look at the pointed corner turret and arched porch before you go in — it's one of the most photographed houses in old Borjomi.

How to get to the museum

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On foot

More tips

  1. Marshrutkas from Tbilisi leave from Didube bus station; from Kutaisi they leave from the central bus station. Both arrive at Borjomi bus station on Meskheti Street, next to the railway station.
  2. From the bus station it's only about 400 m: along Vazha-Pshavela Street and onto Niko Pirosmani Street, a 5-minute walk. The museum is at 5 Saint Nino Street.
  3. From Borjomi Park station on Merab Kostava Street, head west to Shota Rustaveli Street and down to Pirosmani Street — about 10 minutes.
  4. From the Central Park gates on 9 April Street it's the same way via Borjomi Park station: about 1.6 km, 20–25 minutes on foot or 5 minutes by taxi.
  5. Afterwards you're right back by the bus station — handy on a day trip with a marshrutka home.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes, if you have more than half a day in Borjomi or the weather turns. It's cheap, compact and explains what makes the town special: an imperial spa, a famous water and the forests around it. An hour here gives the park walk real context.

Skip it if your day is short and sunny — the park with its spring and the sulphur baths matter more. And don't expect palace rooms: this is a traditional regional museum with glass cases, not a stately home. It is, however, the only place in town to see Romanov belongings, since the Likani palace is currently closed to visitors.

Before you go

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Museum vs Central Park vs Likani palace

Museum of Local Loreyou are hereSpa-town history museum in an 1890 buildingYes, with a ticketBest choiceBy the bus station≈ 1 h
Central ParkSpa park with a mineral springYesWet but openEast end of the centre1.5–2 h
Likani palaceA grand duke's summer villaNo, outside onlySkip itLikani, west of the centre20–30 min + the trip

One day only? Do the park first and leave the museum for the hour before your marshrutka. If it rains, swap them.

Historic sights in Borjomi: compare and choose

Every historic place in Borjomi rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.

Villa Firuza (Mirza Riza Khan House)4515 minFree20 min walk
Likani Palace (Romanov Palace)4230 minFree33 min walk
Borjomi Museum of Local Loreyou are here371 h3–5 GEL—
Borjomi Central Park362 h≈ 5 GEL (unofficial)22 min walk
Green Monastery (Mtsvane)3645 minFree6.6 km
Timotesubani Monastery3145 minFree12.1 km
Kukushka Train (Borjomi–Bakuriani Railway)304 hNot running; new fare not announced10 min walk
Rabati Castle212 h20 GEL for foreign visitors39.9 km

The old spa town in half a day

The museum by the bus station, Villa Firuza at the park gates, the spring in the park and the sulphur pools at the top of the gorge. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and walks.

  1. Borjomi Museum of Local Loreyou are here1 h · 3–5 GEL
  2. 20 min walk from the previous stopVilla Firuza (Mirza Riza Khan House)15 min · Free — seen from the street
  3. 3 min walk from the previous stopBorjomi Central Park2 h · ≈ 5 GEL (unofficial)
  4. 42 min walk from the previous stopBorjomi Sulphur Baths1 h 30 min · ≈ 5–10 GEL plus park entry

4 places · about 5 h 50 min with walks · 65 min on foot in total

Go · my route

Nearby and on your route

Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park

Borjomi, Georgia

4 h · Free entry, registration required · 13 min walk

Borjomi Central Park

Borjomi, Georgia

2 h · ≈ 5 GEL (unofficial) · 22 min walk

How to do it right

  • Arriving by marshrutka? Start here — the museum is 5 minutes from the bus station, and the park can wait.
  • Take the guided tour if you don't read Georgian: the labels are short, and a guide pulls the spa town's story together.
  • With kids, head straight to the top floor — the stuffed animals and the petrified tree hold attention longer than coin cases.
  • Photograph the building from the street: the pseudo-Gothic turret is one of the best shots in old Borjomi.
  • On a rainy day, pair it with Villa Firuza — about 20 minutes' walk along the main street.

Questions

How much is the Borjomi Museum of Local Lore?

3–5 GEL for adults and about 1 GEL for pupils and students. These are unofficial figures: the museum doesn't publish prices.

What are the opening hours?

Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00. Until about 17:00 from November to March, 18:00–19:00 in summer. Closed on Mondays.

Where is the museum?

At 5 Saint Nino Street (Tsminda Nino) in central Borjomi, a 5-minute walk from the bus and railway stations.

How do I get there from Borjomi Central Park?

Walk along 9 April, Kostava and Rustaveli streets past Borjomi Park station — about 1.6 km, 20–25 minutes. A taxi takes 5 minutes.

How long do you need?

About an hour for all three floors, 1.5 hours with a guided tour.

What can you see inside?

Bronze Age finds and old coins, Romanov porcelain and belongings, the first Borjomi water bottles and labels, stuffed animals and a petrified tree.

Is there an English-speaking guide?

Tours are booked at the desk. Guides quote about 15 GEL in Georgian and 15–30 GEL in English.

Is it the Romanov palace?

No. The 1890 building was the office of the Romanov estate. The summer palace is in Likani, west of town, and is currently closed to visitors.

Can I pay by card?

Not confirmed — bring cash in lari. Cash is the safer bet outside the big cities.

Is it good for kids?

Yes, for a short visit. The top floor with stuffed birds and animals is the hit, and the children's ticket is a token amount.

Have you been? Was it worth your time?

1 — no, 5 — absolutely

Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.

Sources and fact-check

  • Russian Wikipedia: Borjomi Museum of Local Lore — building, architect, dates, floors and collections
  • Wikidata Q122704024 and OpenStreetMap — address, coordinates, Georgian name
  • Madloba: Borjomi Museum of Local Lore — estate office, departments, collections
  • Georgian National Tourism Administration (Georgia.travel): Borjomi Local Lore Museum
  • Georgia.to: Borjomi Local Lore Museum — collection, hours, closing day
  • Georgian Holidays: Borjomi Museum of Local History — price, hours, collection
  • Wikivoyage: Borjomi — price, guided tour, seasonal hours
  • Red Fedora Diary: Things to do in Borjomi — floors, price, tours, seasonal hours
  • Live The World: Borjomi local history museum — collections
  • Walking distances — OpenStreetMap routing, 02.11.2026
YesGo editorial team · facts checked 02.11.2026 ·
How we checkedThe museum has no official website or price list, so the price, hours, closing day, tours and payment are marked unofficial. Sources disagree: entry is 3 or 5 GEL, an English tour 15 or 30 GEL, and summer closing 18:00 or 19:00 — we show ranges. All sources agree on Monday closure and a 10:00 opening. The founding year is given as 1926 or 1938; Russian Wikipedia explains that a forest museum opened in 1926 and became the museum of local lore in 1938, so we show both. Totals for the collection range from 36,000 to 38,000. Georgia.travel calls the building a Romanov summer residence, while Russian Wikipedia and Madloba call it the estate office; we follow the latter. Walking distances are calculated with OpenStreetMap routing.

Top YesGo picks: Borjomi

Green Monastery (Mtsvane)

Borjomi, Georgia

45 min · Free; donations welcome

Borjomi Sulphur Baths

Borjomi, Georgia

1 h 30 min · ≈ 5–10 GEL plus park entry

Timotesubani Monastery

Borjomi, Georgia

45 min · Free; donations welcome

Rabati Castle

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2 h · 20 GEL for foreign visitors

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