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THE VANI ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM

The Vani Archaeological Museum of Georgian National Museum is the first archaeological museum in Georgia, founded in 1985 by Academician Otar Lordkipanidze. The museum is located in the ancient town of Vani, twenty-six kilometres from the city of Kutaisi. The archaeological excavations in Vani prove that the mythical land of Colchis truly existed. The museum’s oldest objects date back to the 8th - 7th centuries BCE, while the famous grave of the Colchian woman, where golden objects of immense significance were found, dates to the 6th to 4th centuries BCE. One of the highlights of the Vani Archaeological Museum is a statue of Nike, the Greek goddess of victory. This statue dates back to the 2nd to 1st centuries BCE, and is recognised as a treasure of immense cultural significance. It has been displayed in leading museums around the world. In 2023, Vani Archeological Museum of Georgian National Museum has received one of the prestigious, the Silletto Prize for Community Participation and Engagement.