Svaneti Museum of History and Ethnography opened its doors for visitors on July 1^st 2013 after a long period of being closed for reconstruction of the museum building. The guests were welcomed by David   Lordkipanidze, Director of the Georgian National Museum and members of the staff on the opening day and entrance to the museum would be free for one month starting from the day of the opening.

The history of the Svaneti Museum of History and Ethnography counts almost a century.  The exhibition galleries and other facilities were equipped according to modern standards and the conservation laboratories and storages were renovated during the reconstruction of the museum building,. The museum now has six permanent exhibitions where visitors have the opportunity to see the amazing masterpieces of art, numerous objects discovered during the archeological excavations and a rich numismatic collection. The icon of Forty Sebastian Martyrs, the embroidered Byzantine Icon, the Venetian Cross, the jug belonging to the Queen Tamar, the Adishi Gospel, one of the earliest remaining  illustrated  manuscript (897 AD) among other stunning examples of the Christian art of  IX-XVIII centuries with a rich ethnographical collection are exhibited in the galleries.

The project of reconstruction of the museum building was supported by the Government of Georgia, the National Commission of UNESCO in Georgia, the EU Twinning Program, the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation/Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, the Smithsonian Institution, US Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Heritage Preservation, the embassies of Italy and Switzerland in Georgia. and other different International organizations and foundations.