The National Museum of Lithuania (LNM) invites visitors of the Vilnius Book Fair to attend its events and visit its stand in Hall 5 (No. 5.C02). The LNM will present new photography albums by Antanas Ingelevičius and Algimantas Kunčius, host discussions on the renaming of Russia and the role of public museums in today’s world. Younger fairgoers are invited to celebrate the museum’s birthday with LNM educators and embark on a journey along the “Amber Road.”

Photography Highlights: 20th Century Kaunas and the World of Artists

Good news for photography enthusiasts – the National Museum of Lithuania will present two new publications by exceptional photographic artists at the Vilnius Book Fair.

On 27 February at 5:00 p.m. (Conference Hall 5.2), the album “Antanas Ingelevičius: The Photographer’s Archive” will be launched. The publication presents the complete photo archive of A. Ingelevičius, offering a vivid portrayal of 1920s Kaunas as never seen before.

This multifaceted collection reflects various aspects of life in the temporary capital – from early glimpses of bohemian culture to social and urban developments, as well as everyday family life. A. Ingelevičius’s works were first introduced to the public in 2022 at the National Museum of Lithuania’s exhibition “Antanas Ingelevičius: The Artist and the City.” The book presentation will reveal the fascinating story behind the discovery of this previously unknown photographic artist. The event will be hosted by director Mindaugas Meškauskas, with contributors Gytis Grižas and Vitalija Jočytė (LNM), and text authors photography historian Dr. Margarita Matulytė (LKTI, LNDM) and architecture historian Dr. Vaidas Petrulis (KTU) participating in the discussion.

A documentary film about A. Ingelevičius will also premiere at the “Skalvija” cinema center. Directed by Mindaugas Meškauskas, “The Archive Detective” unfolds a true detective story unraveled by LNM specialists. While examining old negatives by an unknown photographer, they made a sensational discovery in the history of Lithuanian photography. Although tickets for the film’s premiere on 26 February are already sold out, it will be screened again at “Skalvija” in March and will later tour across Lithuania, offering audiences the chance to meet the creative team.

On 28 February at 12:00 p.m. (Conference Hall 1.2), Algimantas Kunčius’s photo album “Encounters in the Last Century. 1963–2000” will be presented. The album features photographs collected by A. Kunčius over more than three decades working as a photojournalist for the cultural publications Literatūra ir menas and Kultūros barai, capturing Lithuanian writers, painters, musicians, and figures of theater and cinema from that period. The publication offers hundreds of photographs that open doors to artists’ studios, backstage moments, writers’ gatherings, and the most intimate hours of creative work.

“This visual narrative of Lithuanian cultural creators and their environment transports us back in time. It is not merely a collection of individual portraits but a cultural archive that allows us to re-encounter the people who shaped our identity,” says photographer A. Kunčius about his album.

The event will be hosted by Dr. Agnė Narušytė and will feature the author and editor of the book Algimantas Kunčius, graphic artist Ramunė Antanina Vėliuvienė, photographer Arūnas Baltėnas (LNM), and museum specialist Liucija Mikučionytė (LNM).

What Should We Call Russia, and What Do Public Museums Give Us?

On March 1 at 1:00 p.m. (Conference Hall 1.2), a discussion titled “History, Histories, and People: Do We Need Museums in the 21st Century?” will take place. This year marks the 170th anniversary of the establishment of the first public museum in Lithuania – the Museum of Antiquities in Vilnius, the origin of the National Museum of Lithuania. On this occasion, LNM invites everyone to reflect on the modern museum narrative, the role and importance of public museums in today’s world, and to learn more about the beginnings of museum work in Lithuania.

The discussion will be moderated by historian and writer Dr. Norbertas Černiauskas (VU Faculty of History). Participants: Dr. Rūta Kačkutė, Director General of the National Museum of Lithuania, Dr. Sigita Bagužaitė-Talačkienė, Chair of the ICOM Lithuania Board, Eglė Červinskaitė, Board Member of the Lithuanian Museums Association, Director of the Tauragė Region Museum “Santaka.”

On March 1 at 4:00 p.m. (15min Forum), LNM will host a discussion titled “Should Russia Be Renamed Rossiya? Historical, Political, and Cultural Contexts.” The event will be moderated by journalist and head of the “Stiprūs kartu” initiative Edmundas Jakilaitis. Discussion participants: Dr. Rūta Kačkutė, Director General of the National Museum of Lithuania and one of the curators of the international exhibition “Kyivan Rus. The Beginning” at the House of Histories, Dr. Alfredas Bumblauskas, Professor at the Faculty of History, Vilnius University, Dr. Violeta Meiliūnaitė, Chair of the State Commission of the Lithuanian Language.

For the Little Ones – A Birthday Celebration and Amber Road Adventures

On February 27 and 28 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (in the Young Readers’ Hall, Library Area), LNM educators will invite children to celebrate the 170th birthday of the museum. Young curious minds will enjoy a birthday-themed game and witty stories created just for the occasion. Wearing party hats they decorate themselves, young visitors will create festive greeting letters together with museum educators, which they will seal with a special wax stamp. After the Book Fair, all children’s greetings will become part of the LNM’s collection and will be displayed in the museum’s exhibition spaces during the birthday celebrations.

On March 1 at 2:00 p.m. (in the Young Readers’ Hall, Children’s Stage), in collaboration with Alma littera, Dr. Rūta Kačkutė’s children’s book The Amber Road will be presented. The book was inspired by the LNM’s international exhibition “1,000,000 Steps: The Amber Road from Rome to the Baltic.” During the event, young readers will learn about the famous Amber Road, which connected the lives of ancient Romans and Balts. A fun game will also be waiting for the little guests.

For more information about the events, visit lnm.lt. We look forward to seeing you at the National Museum of Lithuania’s stand in Hall 5 (No. 5.C02). And if carrying books is too much – shop online at parduotuve.lnm.lt.