Launched in 1928by the then Rector of the Academy, a renowned art critic and art historian Alexander Duduchava, the depository of the selected works by students and interns of the Academy was gradually enriched by the donations from the professors. The works granted included canvases painted by the donors themselves as well as by other renowned artists. Apart from paintings, the depository received a variety of works including pottery, felt wool, metalwork, cloisonnéenamel and objects of decorative art.
In the 1990s, the depository was transformed into a museum that was later housed in the decorated hall on the first floor of the historic building of the Academy, commonly known as the ‘mirrored halls’.
The museum now owns over thousand works of art, including the canvases by the prominent Georgian artist Gigo Gabashvili (Khevsur Feast, Khevsurs on Guard, Three Generals, The Bazaar in Samarkand),which are now temporarily kept in theTBC Bankheadquarters. Highlights of the collection also include Corner in Telavi by Elene Akhvlediani, Botanical Garden by A. Tsimakuridze, Queen Mariam and In the Artist’s Studio by Mose Toidze,Still Life by K. Zdanevich and Man in a White Turban by T. Balanchivadze. Apart from that, the collection boasts the diploma and course works by the celebrated artists who studied at the Academy during 1920-1950s, namely B. Tiratsov, K. Sanadze, E. Ambokadze, D. Khakhutashvili, K. Makharadze, L. Bayakhchev, G. Totibadze, L. Tsutskiridze and O. Mishin.
Different types of pottery makinghave beengiven priority attention at the Academy since its foundation. Over time the museum collection was enriched with high-quality pottery and china works made by Z. Maisuradze, A. Pitskhelausi, R. Iashvili, A. Kakabadze, O. Mukhiguli and other artists.
Within the frames of the project for the restoration of the historic building of the Academy, a programme for the rehabilitation of museum collections was initiated in 2009. The exhibition hall was renewed and properly equipped. Retrospective exhibitions were organised in the exhibition hall of the headoffice of the TBC Bank (The Masters of the Past, 2009) and in the restored hall of the Academy (Echo from the Archives, 2010). The programme also envisages proper recording and documentation of the museum collections as well as publication of electronic and printed versions of an illustrated catalogue.