The National Museum of Lithuania (LNM) will launch a psychological resilience program titled “Time for Yourself” on October 29, aimed at visitors who wish to strengthen their emotional well-being and gain deeper self-awareness. The sessions will take place across all of the museum’s Vilnius branches – from the House of Histories to Gediminas Tower.

Developed in collaboration with psychologist Paulius Rakštikas, the program invites participants to seek inner balance and discover new ways to grow stronger by combining the museum’s environment with mindfulness practices and self-discovery methods.

According to P. Rakštikas, the program is intended for those who wish to grow and develop:

“This format brings together what has stood the test of time – deeper self-knowledge, open communication with others, and, of course, the extraordinary experience created by the spaces of the National Museum of Lithuania. Essential conditions for growth are consistency, befriending discomfort, courage, and openness to oneself. We will experience all of this together, as a group, over two unique months.”

The museum is a space for inner strength

LNM Director Rūta Kačkutė explains that this initiative naturally extends the museum’s mission to create spaces not only for historical discovery but also for personal growth:

“In these turbulent times – both globally and nationally – it’s very meaningful not to neglect our emotional world. We invite everyone to pay attention to their own well-being. This program can provide the essential tools to do so.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) has provided evidence and recommendations showing that visiting museums positively impacts mental health and well-being. The WHO encourages viewing museums as spaces for improving health, as they offer emotional support, opportunities for reflection, and promote social connection and a sense of belonging. According to WHO, visiting museums helps reduce psychological stress and feelings of loneliness.

Both foreign and Lithuanian museums have already hosted mindfulness-based courses. For example, MoMA (New York) organizes meditative tours, and the British Museum holds silent hours encouraging conscious presence. While traditional mindfulness practice is a part of this program, its focus is broader – on psychological resilience and inner strengthening.

Stories About Ourselves

The program’s author notes that the National Museum of Lithuania’s branches explore themes such as defense and freedom, while collectively creating a wide space for reflection. The eight-session series will begin at the House of Histories, whose concept, according to the psychologist, closely aligns with the program’s purpose:

“Each of us carries a story about ourselves – a set of beliefs that can start to limit us. I invite participants to engage with the exhibitions and, through them, to reconsider others’ stories – and thus, their own stories as well.”

During each session, participants will engage in discussions, share experiences, and explore a new theme. After each meeting, they will be given a task to independently visit another museum branch and reflect on a specific topic in the context of the museum’s exhibitions and artifacts. They will later share these insights within the group. This creates a continuous experience and strengthens group connections. The sessions will also include both theoretical learning and psychotherapeutic processes.

Who the Program Is For

This program is for you if you want to make your well-being a priority, need time and space to step away from daily routine, find it difficult to handle uncertainty and stress, feel a lack of calm, experience stagnation, or wish to learn new ways to achieve psychological stability – regardless of whether you love museums or not.

Session Topics: Deepening self-awareness, Building personal strength,  Developing mindfulness, Psychological resilience,  Freedom, courage, and flexibility in thinking,  Managing the influence of personal values,  Practice selection workshops,  Sustaining psychological growth,  About the Facilitator.

The program is led by its creator Paulius Rakštikas – psychologist, lecturer, mindfulness teacher, and founder of pauze.lt and various other projects combining psychology, experience, nature, and art. He is also the author of the book on cultivating mindfulness, “Staigmena gyventi” (The Surprise of Living, Alma littera, 2019).