Located at 51 Dimitri Uznadze Street, Tbilisi, the Museum of History of Georgian Medicine is a treasure trove of medical history and knowledge, having a collection of 19,000 items and serving as the educational base for Tbilisi State Medicine University. Established in 1963, it now operates under the Ministry of Culture and Monuments Protection of Georgia as a Legal Entity of Public Law.
The Museum traces Georgia's medical history through various epochs, starting from the prehistoric period about 15 million years ago, evident from the exhibited remains of extinct organisms like whale ribs, ammonite, and bear-dog-amphitheater footprints. It carries the journey forward to the Bronze Age (XXXIII-XI centuries BC) with archaeological artifacts and leads to the era of mythological Princess Medea (XII-VII centuries BC).
The visitors can explore material dedicated to the ethnogenesis and anthropology of the Georgian nation, coupled with findings from the ancient and medieval periods. Georgian medical manuscripts and tools of folk medicine bring to life the medical practices of the past. The museum also showcases the Renaissance era through the legacy of Zaza Panaskerteli-Tsitsishvili and the Georgian king David XI, along with archival material of eminent Georgian doctors from the 19th and 20th centuries.
Open every day, except Monday, from 11:00 to 18:00, the Museum of History of Georgian Medicine is a must-visit for anyone keen to delve into the intriguing journey of medicine in Georgia.