The main regional museum of western Georgia, formally named after the historian Niko Berdzenishvili. The collection covers the archaeology and history of Imereti and the broader Colchis region, from the Bronze Age through to the medieval period of the Georgian kingdoms. There are good displays of gold and bronze metalwork from the pre-Hellenic period — Colchis was famous in antiquity for its goldworking, and some understanding of why the Golden Fleece myth was attached to this region emerges from the artefacts here.
The medieval section includes church treasures, manuscripts, and carved stone details from destroyed or ruined monuments. The museum is not large by international standards but the quality of the collection is genuine, and the staff are knowledgeable about the regional context. Plan 1–1.5 hours.