The National Museum of Lithuania (NML) invites museum professionals and specialists working with museums to develop their projects at the Creation Lab. This specialised residency space is located at the NML Jonas Šliūpas Museum (Vytauto St. 23A, Palanga) and is dedicated to creative work, research, networking, and professional development. Applications for the 2026 warm-season residencies are open until April 13.

A creative space for the museum community

The Creation Lab is the only residency space in Lithuania dedicated specifically to projects and creative work related to museum practice. It is not only a place to work but also a platform for collaboration. The residency programme is intended for specialists working in museums in Lithuania and abroad, as well as for professionals creating work for museums: researchers, scholars, educators, artists, exhibition curators, art historians, and other cultural practitioners. Residents are invited to present their creative or research projects and to propose joint initiatives with the National Museum of Lithuania.

During the residencies, participants have the opportunity to develop creative projects, experiment with different forms of museum practice, and engage with the activities of the NML Jonas Šliūpas Museum. Specialists are encouraged not only to work on their own projects but also to build creative connections, share ideas, and contribute to the development of museum practice.

An important part of the programme includes creative meetings, exchanges of experience, discussions, presentations of residents’ work, and the involvement of the Palanga community in cultural activities. In this way, the residencies become a vibrant space of co-creation where different experiences and disciplines meet, and where residents can gain valuable insights or test their ideas and activities with museum visitors.

Residencies by the sea

The residency space is located at the NML Jonas Šliūpas Museum (Vytauto St. 23A, Palanga), just a few minutes’ walk from the Baltic Sea. Here, the creative process is accompanied by the calm of the pine forest, the rhythm of the seaside, and the opportunity to step away from everyday routines.

The Creation Lab residency programme was launched in 2021. The first residencies were intended for museum educators and cultural practitioners developing socially inclusive educational programmes and new cultural projects. Over the past few years, the initiative has grown into a space for collaboration and creative experimentation within the museum community.

The residency space offers five single rooms and two double rooms, two shared bathrooms, and a kitchenette. There is a shared workspace with wireless internet, as well as a meeting room. Residents can use a projector, printer, TV screen, and other necessary office equipment. Residents are also invited to organise events in the spaces of the NML Jonas Šliūpas Museum – both indoors and in the cosy courtyard.

How to become a resident

Those wishing to reside at the Creation Lab must complete the application form by April 13 and present their creative project or propose a joint initiative with the National Museum of Lithuania. The residency spaces will be open to selected participants from May 1 to September 30, 2026, for individually agreed periods.

Selected candidates will be informed of the results by email by April 20. Participants are selected by a committee composed of museum specialists and invited experts.

The residency fee in May and September is €30 per night for a single room or €40 per night for a double room. In July and August, the fee is €35 per night for a single room or €45 per night for a double room.

More information and the application form are available on the National Museum of Lithuania’s website: lnm.lt.