On Museum Night, Saturday, May 17, the branches of the Lithuanian National Museum will stay open later into the evening and invite individual visitors to explore the museums free of charge.

Free Admission Times for Individual Visitors

All sites are open from 18:00 to 23:00, with last entry at 22:30, unless noted otherwise:

• Gediminas Castle Tower – 18:00–23:00 (last entry at 22:30)

• The House of the Castellan – 18:00–23:00 (last entry at 22:30)

• The Old Arsenal – 18:00–23:00 (last entry at 22:30)

• The House of Histories – 18:00–23:00 (last entry at 22:30)

• The House of Signatories – 18:00–23:00 (last entry at 22:30)

• Kazys Varnelis House-Museum – 18:00–23:00 (last entry at 22:30)

• The Bastion of the Vilnius Defensive Wall – 18:00–23:00 (last entry at 22:30)

• Jonas Šliūpas Museum – 18:00–23:00 (last entry at 22:45)

• Jonas Basanavičius Birthplace – 18:00–23:00 (last entry at 22:45)

• Vincas Kudirka Museum – 18:00–20:00 (last entry at 19:45)

Museum Night Programme Highlights

All LNM Exhibition Spaces in Vilnius

Musical Museum Adventure Game: “THE MUSEUM CELEBRATES WITH MUSIC”

•  18:00–20:30 (starting at 18:00 at the House of Histories; ending at Gediminas Hill)

• Registration required: Link to form
  Teams of 2–6 family members, friends, or colleagues are invited to take part in this interactive musical challenge visiting all LNM branches in Vilnius. The fastest teams will be awarded prizes.

Celebrating its 170th anniversary, the National Museum of Lithuania invites you to take part in an orienteering game, during which competing teams will visit all LNM branches in Vilnius. Participants will face musical and engaging challenges, and the three fastest teams will be awarded prizes. Gather a team of 2 to 6 family members, friends, or colleagues and conquer this fun museum maze!

 Gediminas Castle Tower (Arsenalo g. 5, Vilnius)

Mini-Tours: “Tales from the Past”

•  20:00, 20:30, 21:00, 21:30, 22:00

•  No registration required
  Explore fascinating stories about Gediminas Hill, the legendary letter of Gediminas, the Upper Castle, and the beginnings of Vilnius.

On Museum Night, we invite you to exclusive short tours at Gediminas Castle Tower!
During the tours, you will dive into captivating stories about Gediminas Hill, the legendary Letter of Gediminas, the development of the Upper Castle, and the early history of Vilnius. Come and discover history where it all began — we look forward to seeing you!

Bastion of the Vilnius Defensive Wall (Bokšto g. 20, Vilnius)

Mini-Tours: “As Weapons Clashed – Between Battle and Art”

•  20:00, 20:20, 20:40, 21:00, 21:20, 21:40

•  No registration required
  Learn about historic weaponry, hear mysterious tales of executioner swords, and discover the legendary Basilisk of Vilnius.

On Museum Night, we invite you to visit the Bastion of the Vilnius Defensive Wall and join a short guided tour, where you’ll learn fascinating facts about the weapons on display.
Do you know what message was inscribed on the executioner’s sword for the condemned? Have you heard what adorned the breastplates of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania’s winged hussars? Or seen what the first gunpowder firearms in Lithuania looked like?

We’re ready to share all of this — and much more — with you. After the tour, you’ll also have the opportunity to explore the entire Bastion museum and meet the mysterious legendary resident of Vilnius — the basilisk.

House of Histories (T. Kosciuškos g. 3, Vilnius)

1. Guided Tours of the Ethnographic Reserve-Exhibition

•  19:00, 20:00

•  Registration: [email protected] or +370 5 239 4574

On Museum Night, we invite you to explore the ethnographic storage-exhibition of the National Museum of Lithuania, located in the basement of the House of Histories.
Across eight halls, you’ll find a collection built over more than 100 years. The preserved objects reveal the identity of rural Lithuanians who lived a century ago and earlier, as reflected in their architecture, home interiors, daily life, crafts, and trades.

How did these people perceive the world around them? How did they feel? How did they create a sense of home? How did they confront existential questions? What worldview and values are expressed in the symbols and signs decorating the artifacts? And — do we still recognize and understand them today?

2. Interactive Game for Families: “The Missing Bone Case”

• 19:00–23:00

• No registration required
  Explore a dog-themed exhibition with a playful mystery game. Ideal for families with children aged 6–11.

Embark on a fun adventure through the world of dog history with your family!
When you arrive at the House of Histories, ask for an activity booklet at the ticket desk. As you explore the exhibition with the booklet, you’ll not only search for answers but also see the world through a dog’s eyes. This interactive game will help you better understand a dog’s senses, body language, and daily life — from ancient times to today.

And most importantly, you’ll help the exhibition’s mascot, Monstradog, find his missing bone. Come and experience the exhibition in a new way — through play, exploration, and empathy for a dog’s journey.

This activity is best suited for families with children aged 6 to 11.

3. Opening of the Outdoor Exhibition “The Companion”

•  20:00

•  No registration required
  A side-event of the main exhibition “History Wags Its Tail”, featuring works by five contemporary female artists. Music curated by Lukas Mykolaitis will accompany the evening.

This is an accompanying event to the main exhibition “History Wags Its Tail,” showcasing fragments of creative practices by five contemporary women artists.
The series of works raises questions about our relationship with the environment — how we shape it, how it shapes us, and the role identity creation plays in this process. “The Companion” is a title that invites reflection on the roles we choose or accept.

You’ll be able to explore the exhibition in more detail during Museum Night, with the evening accompanied by music curated by Lukas Mykolaitis, set against the backdrop of the setting sun.

House of the Castellan (Arsenalo g. 1, Vilnius)

Guided Tour: “The Love Story of Sigismund Augustus and Barbara Radziwiłł”

•  18:00, 20:00

•  Registration FULL
  Learn about one of the most dramatic royal love stories in Polish-Lithuanian history, taking place in and around this very building.

Passion, secret weddings and palace corridors, intrigue — the love story of Sigismund Augustus and Barbara Radziwiłł is full of scandalous details.
Their dramatic romance has inspired books, musicals, and exhibitions.

How did the relationship between Sigismund Augustus and Barbara Radziwiłł unfold? What political intrigues surrounded their lives? Why did their love spark an unprecedented conflict between the throne and the nobility in Polish history? And finally — what role does the House of the Castellan’s site play in this historical love story?

You’ll discover the answers to all these questions during a guided tour that takes place outdoors and in the cellars of the House of the Castellan.

Jonas Šliūpas Museum (Vytauto g. 23A, Palanga)

Performance: “A BREAK THAT NEVER COMES”

• 18:00–23:00

•  No registration required
  The theatre ARTYN presents a performance exploring the environmental impact of leisure in seaside landscapes, inspired by the exhibition “Forms of Rest.”

The natural landscape of the seaside is increasingly shaped by the activities of vacationers, creating contrasts and intersections that shift our perception of humanity’s impact on the environment.

On Museum Night, the creative team of the ARTYN theatre from Klaipėda, led by director Marta Vendland, invites visitors to a performance where hypnotic scenes of coastal nature and vivid holiday moments at the beach merge with the hectic and restless rhythm of 21st-century life. But is it really possible to escape responsibility?

The performance by ARTYN theatre is inspired by the exhibition “Forms of Rest” on display at the Jonas Šliūpas Museum in Palanga, featuring photographs by Vaclovas Straukas and Aleksandras Macijauskas.

Performers: Vitalijus Budrikas, Daiva Fedenko, Renata Raugienė, Alvyda Toleikienė
Director: Marta Vendland

We look forward to welcoming you on May 17, from 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM, at the Jonas Šliūpas Museum of Palanga (Vytauto g. 23A, Palanga).

Vincas Kudirka Museum (V. Kudirkos g. 29, Kudirkos Naumiestis)

Evening with a Book: Presentation of Janina Degutytė’s Letters

•  18:00

•  No registration required
  Dr. Giedrė Šmitienė will present the three-volume collection of the poet’s letters, offering insight into her personal relationships and the Soviet-era context.

On Museum Night, we invite you to visit the Vincas Kudirka Museum and meet Dr. Giedrė Šmitienė from the Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore, who will present the recently published three-volume collection of letters by poet Janina Degutytė.
Like many of her contemporaries, Janina Degutytė loved to communicate through letters, especially with those closest to her. The published volumes feature her correspondence with her mother Janina Degutienė, her dearest friend, artist Bronislava Jacevičiūtė-Jėčiūtė, and physician and close companion Lena Rapalienė.

These letters vividly reveal deeply caring and devoted relationships, as well as the realities of life during the Soviet era. The books also illustrate how letters and poetry intertwined in the poet’s everyday life.

 Jonas Basanavičius Birthplace (Gimtinės g. 17, Ožkabaliai, Vilkaviškis District)

Between Tradition and Modernity

6:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Registration required only for the dance performance “Listen. The Oak Speaks”  To register: +370 342 69365

Programme:

• Dance Performance-Tour: “Listen. The Oak Speaks”
  Presented by the Dance Theatre of Šilalė Cultural Center, this guided performance will lead groups through the National Revival Oak Grove, where — via special headphones — they’ll hear the wisdom of the oak tree. This contemporary dance invites reflection on human values such as continuity, sustainability, patience, resilience, and eternity. It poses the question: “What is encoded within us, and what do we leave behind?” The performance searches for answers in the depths of the human soul, often hidden behind artificial masks shaped by society.

• Audiovisual Installation: “Sounding Scripts”
  Created by the Kaunas Cultural Centre, this conceptual project builds a bridge between tradition and modernity, promoting ethnic cultural heritage. The installation — a multidisciplinary art object — features an original 11-minute graphic animation (by Aurėja Jucevičiūtė), traditional textile works (by Agnietė Janušaitė-Vitkūnienė), and recordings of Lithuanian polyphonic songs (sutartinės). Based on ancient Baltic symbols, the piece intertwines tradition and innovation, depicting the human life cycle, the seasons, and the symbolic Rėda wheel.

• Interactive Night Trail: “Let’s DIG IN”
  As night falls, grab a flashlight and embark on an adventurous spring night hike through the National Revival Oak Grove. Those who complete the route fastest and bravest will be rewarded with museum prizes!

• Board Game Tournament: “Hide and Seek in the Oak Grove”
  For those who prefer a seated challenge, explore the oak grove through a fun tabletop game. The tournament winner will receive a prize!

• Kvass Tasting Workshop
  Quench your thirst stirred by the excitement of games with an educational tasting of traditional Lithuanian kvass.

Free museum admission from 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM (last entry at 10:45 PM).