The National Museum of Lithuania’s project “Pavilion: Vilnius 200 Years Ago” has been nominated for the prestigious ArchDaily Building of the Year Awards – a significant international recognition that highlights the museum as an innovative cultural institution.

A City You Won’t Find on Google

The pavilion was part of the museum’s larger initiative “Vilnius 200 Years Ago”, created to mark the 700th anniversary of Vilnius. It invited visitors to discover a version of the city that cannot be found even through a Google search.

The architectural concept, titled “Atlas”, was designed by architects Dalia Puodžiūtė-Seniūnienė and Julius Seniūnas, whose vision won an open competition organized by the National Museum of Lithuania and the Architecture Fund. The pavilion featured 16 temporary architectural structures arranged in a grid system that integrated naturally into the surrounding park and historical setting.

While the museum is known for its dedication to both exhibition content and architectural design, this time it took a bold step by moving the exhibition outside the museum walls and into the urban environment. This concept encouraged visitors to explore the exhibition independently and uncover the many historical layers of the city.

The pavilion operated from May to October 2023 in the square in front of the New Arsenal of the National Museum of Lithuania. Its central feature was an amphitheater showcasing a 19th-century model of Vilnius reconstructed from historical drawings. The entire exhibition was developed using an open-grid layout that extended to the base of Gediminas Hill, engaging local residents and tourists alike.Visitors could explore the city’s history not only visually, but also through soundtracks, video projections, and historical narratives, creating a rich, multi-sensory experience.

Importantly, the pavilion was designed to be easily dismantled, stored, and reassembled elsewhere—offering flexibility for future reuse in different locations and contexts. The city model originally displayed in the pavilion is currently on view at the Castellan’s House, another branch of the National Museum of Lithuania.

Voting Open Until February 12

ArchDaily is one of the most influential architecture platforms in the world, hosting the annual Building of the Year Awards across 15 categories, including residential, commercial, cultural, and more. Winners are selected by both industry professionals and the public, allowing diverse perspectives to shape the outcome.

The pavilion “Vilnius 200 Years Ago” is nominated in the Cultural Architecture category. Other Lithuanian nominees in this category include the Stasys Museum and the Pragiedruliai Creativity Centre in Panevėžys.

This nomination underscores the high quality and international visibility of cultural projects developed by Lithuanian museums. We invite everyone to support the project – voting is open until February 12.

Click here to vote