On the occasion of the 700th anniversary of the founding of Vilnius, a new exhibition space will appear in Lithuania’s capital – a pavilion entitled “Vilnius 200 years ago”. Visitors will be invited to get to know the city of the 19th century and the people who lived there. At the heart of the exhibition will be a model of Vilnius created on the basis of unique archival material, showing the city as a living organism.

The pavilion will become a unique meeting place and engaging activities will allow visitors to experience Vilnius 200 years ago, strengthening their relationship with the city.

This project is based on extensive research on the city of Vilnius and its architecture and inhabitants of two centuries ago, carried out at the National Museum of Lithuania between 2018 and 2022 under the leadership of Associate Professor Dr. Birutė Vitkauskienė. This temporary exhibition space has been designed by a duo of architects – Dalia Puodžiūtė and Julius Seniūnas. Their architectural idea “Atlas” won an open competition organized by the Lithuanian National Museum and the Architecture Foundation.

We invite you on a journey through the Vilnius of a past era and to learn about many of the places, buildings and streets that have been lost, and to discover more about your own favourite places. Would you choose to live in the Vilnius of that time?

The “Vilnius 200 Years Ago” Pavilion will welcome visitors from 13 May to 15 October 2023. Entry is free of charge. The project will be brought to life through an extensive program of accompanying events, tours, and educational activities.

This project is part of the Vilnius 700th anniversary program. The organizer of this celebration is the Vilnius City Municipality, and the program is being curated by the Vilnius Tourism and Business Development Agency “Go Vilnius”. This program is funded by the Vilnius City Municipality and the Office of the Government of the Republic of Lithuania. For more information on the anniversary program, please visit www.700vilnius.lt.