The wooden hut
Inside a stone pavilion.
Stolbovsky — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Stolbovsky — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Stolbovsky — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Stolbovsky — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Stolbovsky — CC BY-SA 3.0
The Stalin Museum in Gori is dedicated to the life of Joseph Stalin, the Soviet leader, who was born in this city. It keeps its Soviet-era character, which makes it as much a strange experience as a museum. Many visitors come to see how the Soviet age presented this figure, so treat it as a historical document rather than a tribute. It was officially dedicated to Stalin in 1957, closed in 1989 as the Soviet Union ended and Georgia moved towards independence, then reopened and became a popular attraction. In Soviet times the old neighbourhood around the house was cleared to make way for a square and newer buildings. It has three sections, all on the main square in the city centre. The first is a small wooden hut where Stalin was born in 1878 and spent his first four years, set inside a columned stone pavilion. Next comes the large museum building, formal in style, with rooms full of photographs and belongings. The third is the private railway carriage in which he travelled. The displays offer an old view that may say little about the victims of that era, so read about it. It stands in central Gori, a walk from the fortress. About an hour is enough. We found no reliable price or hours in our research, so ask at the door. The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to nearby South Ossetia, so stay away from the administrative line and check official guidance.
Inside a stone pavilion.
A formal Soviet style.
In which he travelled.
Central square, Gori, Georgia
It keeps its old Soviet character, so do not expect a full account of that era.
About an hour for the three sections.
