On the evening of May 23, 2026, the Birthplace of Jonas Basanavičius, a branch of the National Museum of Lithuania, will open its doors for a special Night of Museums program in which Lithuania’s history unfolds through a distinctive artistic and educational lens. From 18:00 until midnight, visitors will be able to explore the birthplace of the patriarch of the nation free of charge and take part in a series of activities designed to reveal one of Lithuania’s most important historical figures from unexpected perspectives.

The evening will begin with a journey—both literal and intellectual. At 18:00, an educational tour of the exhibition A Fighter on the Move will invite families into an immersive experience where playful tasks and interactive encounters illuminate Basanavičius’ travels across Europe and America. Visitors will have the chance to examine his personal belongings and gain a deeper understanding of how opportunities to discover the wider world evolved during his lifetime.

A second tour, beginning at 19:00, is intended for adult audiences. Participants will step into the role of “travel detectives,” analyzing artifacts, quotations, and historical contexts as they search for clues about the ways travel shaped Basanavičius’ worldview and informed his vision for Lithuania.

“Today, it is important to rediscover the personality of Jonas Basanavičius—not only as a historical figure, but as a curious individual driven by a desire to understand the world,” says Rūta Vasiliauskienė, director of the Birthplace of Jonas Basanavičius. “The Night of Museums offers an ideal opportunity to do this by looking at his life through a contemporary lens. As we mark the 175th anniversary of the patriarch of the nation’s birth, we invite visitors to seek connections between his experiences and the questions we face today.”

A Program Enriched by Artistic Experiences

As the evening progresses, attention will turn toward contemporary artistic expression. At 20:00, visitors will be introduced to the concept behind the audiovisual installation “Es humanus” and meet the creative team responsible for bringing it to life. Artists from a range of disciplines reinterpret Basanavičius’ ideas and motifs from Lithuanian folklore through textile art by Agnietė Janušaitė-Vitkūnienė, projections by Aurėja Jucevičiūtė, dance performances by Gabija Blochina and Urtė Šalčiūtė, and music by Donatas Bielkauskas.

“The emergence of the installation and its creative process are inseparable from community involvement,” Vasiliauskienė explains. “It was created through the donation of white textile fabrics, symbolically weaving together different experiences and people. This is a unique opportunity to see Jonas Basanavičius from an entirely new perspective—through a contemporary synthesis of diverse artistic forms.”

At 21:00, live music will fill the grounds of the Birthplace of Jonas Basanavičius as composer Donatas Bielkauskas and Tamsaulė take the stage for a concert blending archaic elements of folklore with contemporary soundscapes, inviting audiences to hear the resonance of tradition anew.

Later in the evening, from 22:00 until 23:30, visitors will be able to independently experience the installation “Es humanus”, which will be shown every 15 minutes.

All Night of Museums events at the Birthplace of Jonas Basanavičius are free of charge. Most activities do not require registration; however, spaces for the educational tours are limited, and advance registration is required by phone at +370 342 69365 or by email at [email protected].

More information about the National Museum of Lithuania’s Night of Museums events: click here.