Near Freedom Square in Tbilisi, next to Pushkin Park, stands a historic building that houses the Shalva Amiranashvili Museum of Fine Arts. For years, the structure had been in a state of disrepair. To assess its condition, Minister of Culture Thea Tsulukiani commissioned a study from the company “Karyatida.”

The report, dated July 1, 2021, was later obtained by the media. It stated that part of the historic building was “non-profitable,” while preventing the deterioration of the other part was “impossible.” The report also suggested that it would be preferable to demolish part of the building and reconstruct it using similar materials.

Museum employees and cultural figures suspected that the term “non-profitable” had been inserted because the new museum director, Nika Akhalbedashvili, did not intend to preserve the building’s original function.

Following the ministry’s decision, an evacuation plan was drawn up for the museum’s collection of thousands of exhibits, scheduled to begin on August 5, 2021. That same day, two protests took place in front of the museum.

Protesters demanded that restoration work be carried out by highly qualified professionals and that the Ministry of Culture include the public in its decision-making process to ensure transparency. Minister Tsulukiani dismissed the demonstration as a “failed protest.”

Several months later, on December 3, 2021, the minister announced that the government would restore the museum building. The restoration of the museum’s second wing was completed in 2024.