Museum of Wax Figures Robbed in Batumi

Keti Labadze, Adjara

Journalist of the news agency Interpresnews discovered that Museum of Wax Figures was robbed in Batumi.  She had arrived there to take photos but found the museum robbed and looted: “I was going to prepare photo-reportage from the Wax Museum; petitioned to the Agency of Culture Heritage to open the museum; as soon as we entered, we found the Medea’s statue broken. I asked what had happened with it but nobody knew. In the second room, one statue was completely broken and could not understand whose statue it was. Then museum personnel noted that equipment was also stolen,” Nino Khozrevanidze of the Interpresnews said.

Currently the museum is surrounded with the yellow line of police; criminal police entered the building after the report about the robbery.

Head of Adjara Culture Heritage Agency Bidzina Aphkhazava confirmed the information about robbery. He said the building belonged to the City Hall. “The building is the property of the City Hall. We are owners of the wax figures; the museum did not have guards and video-cameras were also damaged,” Abkhazava said.

Representatives of the Batumi City Hall claim the building does not belong to their agency; lawyer at the City Hall Ramaz Mamuladze said they are negotiating with the Union of Architects. “The agreement was signed but it is not final document; after the negotiations the building will be assigned to the City Hall and then to the Agency of Culture Heritage. As far as I know, the Agency was responsible to take care of the building,” Ramaz Mamuladze said he is not informed when negotiations will end; the City Hall is waiting for the reply from the Union of Architects.

Member of the United National Movement and Adjara Supreme Council Asmat Diasamidze calls on the Government of Georgia to rapidly react on the fact. “They planned to open weapon museum, museum of manuscripts and books but how can they open new ones when the government cannot take care of old museums. Exhibits are destroyed. Why the museum was not guarded; every responsible person shall be punished for this incident,” Asmat Diasamidze said.

Drainage pipes were stolen from the façade of the museum building. President Mikheil Saakashvili opened Museum of Wax Figures in October of 2012. However, visitors could visit it neither during previous government nor during the new one. The museum was closed two weeks after opening and only about 20 tickets were sold there. The building was not supplied with electricity because of unpaid bills.

Museum of Wax Figures is located in a small house in Mazniashvili Street in old Batumi. Wax sculptures of people from the history of Adjara were placed in it; among them are statues of Aslan Abashidze and General Netkachov. Sculptures were placed in five rooms.