From September 7 to 14, Lithuanian museum experts participated in the professional exchange program “Marta”, during which they visited prestigious cultural institutions in Washington, D.C., United States. The purpose of the visit was to strengthen the ties between Lithuanian and U.S. museums, share best practices, and explore new ways for museums to become even more relevant to contemporary society.

During the week-long program, participants visited the Library of Congress, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, several Smithsonian Institution divisions—including the National Museum of American History, the National Gallery of Art, the National Collections Program Center, and the Hirshhorn Museum—as well as one of the oldest modern art museums in the U.S., The Phillips Collection. The visit included meetings with experts from various fields, guided tours of exhibitions, restoration studios, and storage facilities.

Discussions focused on topics highly relevant to modern museums: collection care and management, digitization processes, the creation of educational programs, presenting collections to diverse audiences, and museum communication and image-building. For Lithuanian museum professionals, it was particularly valuable to learn how U.S. institutions address the challenges of presenting complex historical narratives, create educational experiences, and engage different social groups.

“During the tours and meetings, I had the opportunity to hear firsthand about the missions, visions, and organizational structures of these institutions, as well as their visitor engagement and volunteer programs. It was fascinating to learn how world-class institutions plan and implement their activities, what decisions they make in daily operations, and what goals they set. This experience inspired new ideas and gave me greater confidence in my professional path,”
said Vilma Janeliauskienė, Head of the Theatre and Film Department at the Lithuanian Theatre, Music and Cinema Museum.

Much attention was given to digitization laboratories and conservation departments, where participants were introduced to document preservation and restoration processes. The Lithuanian museum specialists had the opportunity to see how their U.S. counterparts apply the latest technologies to ensure the preservation and accessibility of cultural heritage.

“Art and history institutions in every country strive to reflect key moments in society’s development. I was very interested in exploring U.S. museum strategies—how collections are formed and what goes on behind the scenes of exhibitions. I was surprised that, despite having vast financial resources, this country adopts new technologies with great caution—only after confirming their reliability and usefulness. The key word of this experience is collaboration,”
shared Lina Jonkuvienė, Acting Head of the Collections Accounting, Research, and Storage Center at the Lithuanian National Museum of Art.

An especially meaningful part of the visit was the meeting at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. During the tour and discussion, participants reflected on how to present painful historical events to different audiences in a sensitive and responsible manner—creating meaningful educational experiences that connect facts with emotions.

The visit to The Phillips Collection revealed how contemporary art institutions collaborate with communities, develop educational activities, and use creative marketing and communication strategies.

“The program offered a broad view of museum work in the U.S. and reaffirmed that our institutions have more similarities than differences. I returned with the conviction that strong content always speaks for itself. Visiting the ‘Mecca’ of American museums—Washington, D.C.—was an exceptional experience,”
said Gita Šapranauskaitė, Director of the Lithuanian Ethnographic Museum.

The visit concluded with a meeting at the Embassy of Lithuania in Washington, D.C., with Ambassador Gediminas Varvuolis and First Secretary Giedrė Šidagytė-Gudaitienė, who presented the embassy’s activities aimed at strengthening the visibility of Lithuanian culture in the U.S.

The “Marta” program is a professional development initiative for national and state museum professionals, implemented by the National Museum of Lithuania from 2023 to 2025. It provides Lithuanian museum specialists with opportunities to expand their knowledge, build international connections, and share best practices. Participants return not only with new insights but also with concrete plans for applying their experiences in Lithuanian museums.

The internships are based on a peer-learning model specially developed for the program by “Kūrybinės jungtys” (Creative Connections). This model ensures that world-class museum practices reach a broader audience than can be sent abroad. Participants who visit foreign museums are encouraged to share their knowledge with colleagues in Lithuania and to collaborate across institutions in developing ideas for qualitative change.