The renovated National Gallery - the Blue Gallery will open in September. The President of Georgia MikheilSaakashvili visited the rehabilitation works. By the decree of the President in 2007 the National Gallery became a part of National Museum of Georgia. MikheilSaakashvili said that in post-soviet period conditions for exponents became inappropriate and were out of standards.
"This museum is not of the level what I see abroad. Georgia has so much to exhibit. Some silly people were saying that I have kidnapped Pirosmani's masterpiece. These people drive me crazy - they created this story themselves and then believed in it. The masterpieces are kept in our safe-rooms even today and in some cases not in very good conditions. We must exhibit these works - our children must be raised on these masterpieces. By the initiative of Nick Rurua this gallery will be restored and you all will see the museum of contemporary world standards. We will use our European experience and will build even better museum", the President of Georgia noted.
The building that was constructed in 1888 will keep its historic features. This is why in 2007-2008 the museum employees cleaned and put in digital format the exponents kept in gallery.