Abandoned Mtskheta cinema to reopen as museum

An abandoned cinema building in Georgia’s ancient city of Mtskheta is being transformed into a museum to showcase historic treasures of the area.

The renovation project was led by the National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation and would see the old cinema renovated into a museum boasting exhibition and educational spaces.

A basement area for archives will also be established within the reconstruction project.

The building will also be fitted with a new roof and heating system, and a special elevator that caters for disabled individuals.

An artist’s impression of the front view of the new museum. Image by the National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation of Georgia.

Built in the 1970s, the Soviet-era cinema fell into a state of neglect over the recent decades but will be restored with support from the World Bank, UNESCO World Heritage Centre and Georgia's Municipal Development Fund.

The two-storey building represented an important example of 20th Century architecture. Within the space a historic gate to Mtskheta dating back to the early feudal age was uncovered.

The gate was discovered during the construction of the cinema and was preserved as part of the building space.

The new museum was scheduled to open later this year.