National Museum of Lithuania Annual Activity Report 2023

THE NEW FACE OF THE PAST Annual Activity Report

A Word from the Director-General

A Word from the Director-General

I want to thank everyone for their contribution to becoming more open to diversity, and to celebrate the growing number of visitors. In 2023, we exceeded the pre-pandemic and pre-war number of visitors, with almost 430,000 visitors last year. I am pleased that our efforts to talk about Lithuania’s history in a global context are strengthening a critically thinking society and helping us to know our roots. We tell the visitors: “We preserve the memory of Lithuania so that you can know yourself today.”

“The mission of the Contemporary is to constantly strive and to never stop looking this mission today, to keep and to continue to consistently set out in the Museum’s

It is clear that we are moving in the right direction, as more families with children discovered the Museum in 2023, and as many as 98% of the visitors surveyed would recommend the NML to their friends and acquaintances. 25 exhibitions and almost 2,000 educational activities were organised in all of the Museum’s departments during the year, including more than 120 programmes for schools and families. Over 200 events were dedicated to different target audiences.

It is important to note that we include more and more marginalized communities. Work with them in the museum began even before the quarantine, and currently intensive work is being done with four communities: blind and visually impaired, hearing impaired, children with autism spectrum disorders, people suffering from Alzheimer‘s disease. In 2023, we joined the project “Social Recipe 65+” initiated by the Ministries of Health and Culture.

Contemporary Museum to open up and improve, looking for ways to best achieve keep pace with the changing life consistently pursue the goals Museum’s strategy.”

Dr. Rūta Kačkutė

One of our main strategic goals is nurturing leadership. The most prominent example is the centralized museum competence development program “Mar ta” for employees of national and state museums being implemented by the National Museum of Lithuania in 2023–2025. With this project, we are nurturing and developing talent not only within the museum, but also making a difference nationwide. The competence development programme involves specialists from Lithuanian national and state museums (17 institutions in total) and the Centre for Contemporary Art, and is likely to expand to regional museums in the future.

We also try to set an example by organising international exhibitions. Last year, the Museum opened the exhibition “A Worldwide Lithuania: Our Migration Story”, with President Valdas Adamkus as patron, Lithuanian Airports as one of its partners, and other partners from the USA, Brazil and Canada. Nineteen part-

ners from Lithuania, the USA, Luxembourg, France, Germany collaborated on the exhibition “To Believe or Not to Believe: Conspiracy Theories”.

In 2023, we opened up even more – we came out of our own spaces and organised an exhibition in a non-traditional space. The historical research carried out by the Museum for five years and the pavilion “Vilnius 200 Years Ago” created on its basis became a gift for the citizens of Vilnius, the guests of the city and a summer attraction. More than 110,000 visitors were received in the excursions, lectures and events of the pavilion dedicated to the 700th anniversary of the capital.

Alongside the exhibitions, long-term reconstruction projects were also implemented – the facade of the House of Signatories was renovated, and the renovation of the Jonas Šliūpas Museum became an exemplary project for preserving and renewing the heritage of the wooden architecture. In the spring of 2024, the newest member of the NML family – the House of the Castellan – will finally open its doors.

I want to emphasize that aid to Ukraine still remains relevant. Last year, we organized the support campaign “Ukrainian Culture has no Means of Defence”, the purpose of which was to collect money and buy restoration materials in order to preserve the cultural heritage destroyed by the Russians. However, we cannot stop, we cannot get tired, we must constantly remember that this war is directed against the historical memory of Ukraine, so the historical and cultural front is no less important.

Statistics

1 900

Workshops conducted for students

increased by 15 percent more than in 2022

429 514

The museum was visited by 62 percent more than in 2022

35 000

Students participated in the workshops

25 percent more than in 2022

The museum was visited by 36 percent than

3 973

Adults participated in the workshops

Served visitors of the museum collections >800

Acquired museum values 8 200

Museum moved to storage ~45 %

Our Strategy

Our Strategy

Open forspacespeople with individual needs

Reflect thecurrent affairs ofthewholeinsocietyactivityour

storytellingthroughexhibitsPublicise

OperatethroughoutLithuania

Gobeyond thelimits ofour buildings andusual themes

Discover strangers todayaboutTell

Haveclearprioritiesforthemuseum, the departmentsandeachemployee

toOpenness diversity

RESPONSIBLE CREATIVE CONSCIENTIOUS SUSTAINABLE

Operateco-culturally

Partnershipinnarrative

Creatingamuseumtogether with communities

Bring together the contradictions in our society Search dialogue

Nurturing leadership

Focusonquality

Demonstrateleadership

Inspirebyexample

thatrepositoriesHave will act as an centreopen for historyaboutlearning

acompetence centre museology

Bring together the contradictions our society / Search for dialogue museumtogether with communities

Develop avaluesbasedimage

To dialoguecreate betweenofgroups society with different viewpoints

Tobe centrecompetencemuseologyfor

700th Anniversary of Vilnius

700th Anniversary of Vilnius

It is no coincidence that the most prominent exhibitions of the National Museum of Lithuania of this year were dedicated to the most important anniversary of this year – the 700th anniversary of Vilnius.

The Museum started the relay of anniversary events with the exhibitions “I am a Citizen of Vilnius” and “Letters of Gediminas: Then and Now”. The latter exhibition, which opened on 25 January in the Gediminas Castle Tower, attracted exceptional public and media attention. The advertising campaign for the exhibition “Gediminas – the Head of Vilnius Without Competition” created together with the

public institution “Autoriai” made witty allusions to the context of that time – the ongoing mayoral and municipal elections.

One of the main projects of the entire anniversary program was also presented in spring – the pavilion “Vilnius 200 Years Ago”. The historical research carried out for five years presented a gift to the citizens of Vilnius and the guests of the city and became the centre of summer attraction – the pavilion, excursions, lectures and events received more than 110,000 visitors.

We Support Ukraine

We Support Ukraine

The war in Ukraine has changed not only the lives of Ukrainians, but also the lives of Lithuanians and the whole of Europe. We have shown remarkable unity during this difficult period, which is why, as the anniversary of the war approached, the National Museum of Lithuania, together with the organisation “Strong Together” and LRT, invited everyone to unite and take part in the campaign “The Culture of Ukraine Has No Means of Defence” from 28 November to 26 December. The partners of the campaign are the Association of the Museums of Lithuania, which unites 100 museums in the country, and the Lithuanian National Commission for UNESCO. The money

raised will be used to preserve the cultural heritage destroyed by the Russians and to purchase restoration materials and equipment. These tools will be delivered to the National Museum of History of Ukraine, from where they will travel to other museums in the country.

On July 6, in the pavilion “Vilnius 200 Years Ago”, together with the organizers of the initiative, LRT, “Blue/Yellow” and other partners, 1,000 Ukrainian flags were distributed free of charge to the citizens of Vilnius, encouraging active public participation in the campaign “I Raise a Flag for Ukraine in NATO”.

In Vilnius, at the Embassy of the Republic of Ukraine, the Great Sign “Ukrainian Volunteers with a Passion of the Soul” was awarded to the employees of the National Museum of Lithuania, who donate funds to the fighting Ukrainian soldiers through the Vilnius District branch of the Lithuanian Army Volunteers Union.

Let’s not stop and continue to support Ukraine!

02 10

Passion for Life

Vincas Kudirka Museum

01 25

Letters of Gediminas: Then and Now

Gediminas Castle Tower

The Collector and the Collected: The work of Kazys

private collections in

03 01

Exhibition of the most beautiful Lithuanian books

Kazys Varnelis House-Museum

Exhibition of the most beautiful Czech and Ukrainian books

Kazys Varnelis House-Museum

02 17

Lady Signatories in the Foreground

The House of Signatories

03 29

Powerful Because United

The Bastion of the Vilnius Defence Wall (the entrances)

03 01

Get Up, Get Up – It’s Easter! The New Arsenal

Declaration of the of Struggle

03 08 05

1923. Klaipėda and Lithuania: History, Politics, Diplomacy

The New Arsenal

Heritage – Mine,

Varnelis

Kazys Varnelis House-Museum

Displacement

Kazys Varnelis House-Museum

05 13

Pavilion “Vilnius 200 Years Ago“

The New Arsenal, near the monument of King Mindaugas

Collected: Varnelis from Lithuania House-Museum

From the Hive

Vincas Kudirka Museum

Foreground

07 05

Exhibition about the House of Histories “K3”

The House of Histories

In the Name of Her, Free

08 23

Unresolved Composition. The Second World War in the Art of Soviet Lithuania dailėje

The New Arsenal

Fragments and Echoes of Time: An Exhibition of Rimantas Dichavičius’ Work

11 08

Identity and Form:

The Work of Kazys Varnelis

Jonas Šliūpas Museum

A Worldwide Lithuania: Our Migration Story

The House of Histories

Displacement House-Museum

Easter!

Declaration of February 16, 1949, Council of the Movement

Struggle for Freedom of Lithuania

The House of Signatories

06 08

IMAGINE!

The House of Histories

12 06

The Regulated Everyday Life of Palanga Residents and Vacationers

Jonas Šliūpas Museum

09 20

To Believe or Not to Believe: Conspiracy Theories

The House of Histories

The Talking Oaks (a game)

Lithuania:

Jonas Basanavičius’ Birthplace

Mine, Society’s, the State’s?

The Old Arsenal

The Trap with Central Heating

Former Detention House

We Travel to Our Visitors

We Travel to Our Visitors

01 05

Lyngby Axe: 13,000 Year Warranty

Regional Museum of Gargždai

02 20

Conversation of Ages

Museum of Kretinga

02 24

Lyngby Axe: 13,000 Year Warranty

Regional Museum of Pakruojis “Žiemgala”

04 12

Conversation of Ages

Museum of History and Culture of Joniškis

04 19

Lyngby Axe:

13,000 Year Warranty

Yeshiva of Telšiai (Museum of Samogitians “Alka”)

04 28

Traces of the First Christians in Pagan Lithuania

Archaeological Site Museum of Kernavė

03 10

Conversation of Ages

Yeshiva of Telšiai (Museum of Samogitians “Alka”)

03 11

The National Costume of Lithuania Minor – Beautiful and Timeless Fashion

Ethnocultural Centre of Klaipėda

06 09

Petruliai: from Kateliškės –to the History of the Lithuanian State

Vabalninkai Department of the Centre of Technologies and Business Training

06 10

The Object and the Detail: The Aesthetic World of the Stone Age

Yeshiva of Telšiai (Museum of Samogitians “Alka”)

Petruliai: from Kateliškės –to the History of the Lithuanian State

Vabalninkai Department of the Regional Museum of Biržai “Sėla”.

06 14

The Fighters of the 19th–20th Centuries

Regional Museum of Zarasai

08 01

The Object and the The Aesthetic World of the Stone Age

Renava Manor Homestead Mažeikiai district

The Fighters of the 19th–20th Centuries

Martynas Mažvydas National of Lithuania, Vilnius

07 10

The Object and the The Aesthetic World of the Stone Age

Artists‘ House (next to the Amber Museum), Nida

07 11

Exhibition of Kazys Paintings

Lithuanian Exhibition and Congress LITEXPO, Vilnius

07 13

Antanas Ingelevičius: the Creator and the Kaunas Picture Gallery

Museum Collections News

Museum Collections News

The National Museum of Lithuania has the largest and most comprehensive collection of photographs and negatives of any Lithuanian institution, collecting photographic heritage. The collection covers the period from the 1950s to the present day. The growing collection, with over 270,000 storage units and 10 original archives – those of National Prize laureates Algimantas Kunčius, Stanislovas Žvirgždas, perhaps the most famous Lithuanian expatriate photographer Algimantas Kezys, and the recently acquired archive of Rimantas Dichavičius, as well as the personal archives of several other photographers, which are planned to be acquired soon – encourages expanding the areas of activity, for that purpose, the Photodocumentary Centre was established in 2023.

Commemorative medal “Lithuanian Academy of Sciences” awarded to the National Museum of Lithuania

The medal was awarded for a significant contribution to the preservation of the collections of the history of the State of Lithuania for future generations; the development of museological competences and leadership; the organisation of exhibitions revealing the most important phenomena and events in the history of Lithuania, which have influenced the development of the society and have shaped the identity of the modern Lithuania; educational activities in the form of an understandable and up-to-date conveyance of various historical topics; the constant care for historical memory and heritage; and the co-operation with the Academy of Science of Lithuania.

This year, the collection of graphics of the National Museum of Lithuania was enriched with an extraordinary exhibit –the purchased album of lithographs by the German combatant, master of genre scenes Albrecht Adam (1786–1862), depicting the 1812 march of the French Grand Army to Moscow.

The collection of old photographs was elevated by a real treasure of Lithuanian heritage –a series of 24 works by the French photographer Jacques-Philippe Potteau (1807–1876) from the anthropological collection. These are en face and profile portraits of eleven men and one woman from Kaunas Governorate, taken in Paris in 1864. The photographs were made using the albumen technique typical of that era, are of very good quality, and have records indicating the person’s name, age, and date of creation of the photograph. It is likely that the series commemorates persons who left Lithuania after the 1863 Uprising.

The collection of 20th century photography has been enriched by works of internationally recognized Lithuanian photographers Antanas Sutkus (b. 1939; Lithuanian National Culture and Art Prize, 2003; Dr. Erich Salomon Prize, Germany, 2017) and Rimaldas Vikšraitis (b. 1954; European photography

“Rencontres d’Arles” Discovery

of the Year Prize, France, 2009; LR Government Art Prize, 2010). Selected photographic testimonies capturing social exclusion, the everyday life of adults and children together fill the thematic gap in the collection – they tell the history of the region not through the state creators, but through the experiences of ordinary residents.

Photography by Jacques­Philippe Potteau (1807–1876)

festival

Photography by Antanas Sutkus (b. in 1939) and Rimaldas Vikšraitis (b. in 1954)

Museum Competence Development “Marta”

Museum Competence Development Programme

“Marta”

In 2023, the National Museum of Lithuania started implementing the museum competence development program “Marta” for all employees of national and state museums. Its benefits will be felt by a much wider circle of people: museum visitors expect more and more modern solutions, and the program provides opportunities to learn from world-class museums. The program responds to the need for continuous learning and development while adapting to a changing society.

Last year, 25 trainings were held with 550 participants, 4 trips were organized to Estonia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, and 42 people became lecturers-leaders of museology. Next year, trips are planned to museums that attract huge flows of visitors every year: the Louvre in Paris, the Vasa Museum in Stockholm, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

The implementation of the program will last at least three years, and competence development will take place by organizing trainings with experienced lecturers from Lithuania and foreign countries, internships in foreign museums.

Achievements of the Restoration Centre

Achievements of the Restoration Centre

During the year 2023

Simona Matuzevičiūtė prepared and conducted the lecture “Decomposition of archaeological bone and wood exhibits, field and laboratory conservation and restoration” for students of the Bachelor’s 4th year and Master’s 2nd year of the Faculty of History of Vilnius University.

Algis Blažys prepared and conducted an introductory course for museum employees “How to display museum values correctly”.

The chest with which Emilija Marcinkevičiūtė returned to Lithuania from the USA in the 1930s

20th century

Wood, metal, leather, paper

Restored by Lina Kregždienė and Oksana Čepeliuk

Ornamented paddle Stone Age

Wood, linden bast

Restored by Simona Matuzevičiūtė

Reliquary

3rd quarter of the 18th century

Paper, silk, linen, wood, metal (iron, silver, gold), river pearls

Restored by Aušra Balčiūnaitė, Lina Kregždienė, Asta Jakštienė

Workshops

Workshops

New workshops

3 22

109 83

Workshops via the Culture Passport

Workshops for school students

Thematic workshops

In 2023, the museum approved a new process and methodology for preparing lectures, according to which 20 new lectures were prepared last year. Before implementation, they were tested together with students.

In 2023, very active work with teachers and schools began, special events and excursions to exhibitions were organized for teachers.

We currently offer lectures with 109 titles for students of various age groups. Of these, 83 lectures are included in the Culture Passport programme.

For the 700th anniversary of Vilnius, 3 thematic lectures were prepared in the pavilion “Vilnius 200 years ago”.

Museum Differently

Museum Differently

> On May 13, the museum invited to celebrate the European Night of Museums. This is a unique opportunity to visit museums in the evening or at night, and this occasion attracts many visitors interested in history and culture throughout Europe. Eleven units of the National Museum of Lithuania welcomed the visitors specially prepared and with pleasant surprises. 15 events were organized during the Night of the Museums.

> During the three-day European Archaeology Days, 20 events were organized in the museum. The National Museum of Lithuania was the main organiser of this programme in Lithuania.

> The departments of the National Museum of Lithuania made sure that the Culture night in Vilnius would be filled with music and poetry, as well as enchanting tastes and sights. Visitors were involved in various educational games and excursions.

> In medieval Vilnius, life was bustling as it is today: castles were being built, merchants from distant countries were bringing unprecedentedly luxurious goods, artisan guilds were being created, soldiers were protecting the city wall from enemies, and cooks were preparing food in cauldrons on fire and in ovens. This 700-yearold picture of living history came to life on October 14 in the Bastion of the Vilnius Defence Wall.

> People find themselves outside their homeland for a variety of reasons, but their experiences are similar. For the third time, the story festival “My Migration Story” was organised in the museum, dedicated to a deeper understanding and knowledge of migration experiences. The event also enriches people who have never emigrated, because the experiences of migrants are common, recognizable to everyone: searching for a home, friendships, building a family, career.

> The National Museum of Lithuania, together with the International Association of Museums of History, the Vilnius Museum and the MO Museum, organized the conference “City and Museum: Representation of a City in European Museums”. The conference was attended by sixty participants. Seven lecturers from Lithuania, Ukraine, France, and the Netherlands gave presentations.

> On the occasion of the 700th anniversary of Vilnius, a new exhibition space – the pavilion “Vilnius 200 Years Ago” – opened in the capital. The space, which gathered the residents and guests of Vilnius at the foot of Gediminas Hill, offered many free events, concerts and performances, but the most important thing was a unique introduction to Vilnius and its residents 200 years ago. The most important highlight of this exhibition is a model of Vilnius 200 years ago, or a city that could not be found even on Google, recreated based on unique archival material. The same model was prepared by the tsarist government two centuries ago for military purposes, and last year it was reborn for the purpose of getting to know the city: 60 lectures, 31 thematic excursions, 20 other events were offered.

> On December 13–16, for the third time, winter Vilnius was delighted by the festival “Keep Singing”, inspired by Jonas Mekas and dedicated to his personality, philosophy of creation and life. The events took place in the House of the Signatories of the National Museum of Lithuania and the Jonas Mekas Centre for Visual Arts.

> The National Museum of Lithuania participated in the Vilnius Book Fair on February 23–26.

> A chestnut tree from Vilkaviškis district, the village of Ožkabaliai, the homestead of Jonas Basanavičius, the signatory of the February 16th Act of Independence, was chosen as the Lithuanian tree of the year 2023.

Publishing News

The unique feature of the publications of the National Museum of Lithuania is the timeless content, which often does not lose its relevance even after decades, and great attention to the polygraphic quality of the publications – durable paper, when necessary – hard book covers, high-quality printing.

The National Museum of Lithuania has the oldest publishing traditions of all museums in Lithuania. The first collection catalogue, published in 1858, is now a bibliographic rarity.

The major and most important part of the museum’s publishing work today is the publication of scientific and informational materials about the collections, the preparation of exhibition catalogues, the publication of scientific research, and attention to the popularisation of history.

Award

Vida Kuraitė, an artist of the National Museum of Lithuania, was recognized in the 2023 Book Art Competition organised by the Ministry of Culture every year. She was awarded a diploma in the category of art publications for the book “Kazys Varnelis” (compiler Daiva Vaišnienė, text authors Giedrė Jankevičiūtė, Žydrūnas Mirinavičius, Laura Petrauskaitė, Indrė Urbelytė, Kazys Varnelis, published by the National Museum of Lithuania, printed by “Petro ofsetas”).

Compiler Gabrielė Paškevičiūtė

Kolekcionavęs ir kolekcionuojamas: Kazio Varnelio kūryba iš privačių rinkinių Lietuvoje

Compiler Giedrė Milerytė-Japertienė

Compilers Dalia Grimalauskaitė, Anda Ozoliņa, Mārtiņš Vāveris, Kristīne Ducmane, Ivar Leimus

100 Years: Litas, Lats, Kroon

Pasaulio dydžio Lietuva: mūsų migracijos istorija / A Worldwide Lithuania: Our Migration Story

Compiler Lina Kalinauskaitė XII Lietuvos medalių trienalė

Compilers Milda Kvizikevičiūtė, Ina Ėmužienė

Tikėti ar netikėti: sąmokslo teorijos / To Believe or Not to Believe: Conspiracy Theories

Birutė Rūta Vitkauskienė, Karolina Glinska Atrastas Vilnius

Compiler Skaidrė Urbonienė

Lietuvos kryždirbystės vaizdai: Adomo Varno negatyvų rinkinys

Compilers Vaidotas Ščiaponis, Dalia Keršytė

Kaunas atvirukuose 1899–1915

Irena Mikuličienė

Lietuviai perkeltųjų asmenų stovyklose 1945–1951 m.

Libertas Klimka

Matuojant neaprėpiamą laiką

Compiler Mindaugas Surblys

Jono Šliūpo ženklai Palangoje: kelionė po kurortą

Educational Publications

7 Vilniaus raktai arba kaip Geležinis Vilkas ir Baziliskas Vilnių gelbėjo

You can familiarise yourself with the publications of the National Museum of Lithuania in the virtual bookstore: click here

Rūta Tolkačevskienė, Gytė Šimienė

Timothy Ambrose, Crispin Paine Muziejaus pagrindai

A Museum for Communities

A Museum for Communities

For people with Alzheimer’s disease

12

Educational activities at the House of Histories

144 participants (from Social Services House of Fabijoniškės)

For visitors with hearing impairments

10

Hand shadow theatre activities for deaf children from the Lithuanian Deaf and Hard of Hearing Education Centre

100 participants

For visitors with visual impairments

3

Storytelling workshops at the House of Histories

30 participants

2

Experiential sessions with the Theatre of the Senses

20 participants

For children with autism spectrum disorders

27

Pottery workshops

384 participants

A joint ceramic work “Vilnius – 700” was made. It adorns the access of the lift to the Gediminas Hill.

In total:

54

Special events and activities for people with various disabilities

678 participants

Visitor Reviews

Visitor Reviews

Beloved City, You are the Future! You are the roots and Mother’s milk With a tear of true love.

The Bernardine Sisters, who have lived HERE for 400 years, respectfully Bow their heads before the entire team of this Visual Hymn – And wish it to shine. With the Blessings of God and People Today and Forever!

The Bernardine Sisters

Thank you for the our walking expedition in the premises of

Hypothesis: It will be very interesting. Conclusions: IT WAS VERY INTERESTING.

The interior of the museum is very beautiful, with excellent, balanced lighting. Great prices. Thank you.

Orinta

The exhibition on conspiracy theories was interesting and easy to understand. Thank you!

Rūta

I love this place! I the light, the history. This place is just like tolerant, loving and for the past year!

Anonymous

Vincas and Emilis

Save The Baltic Sea

Great job creating this little world!

Gintaras opportunity to start expedition around the Baltic Sea of the House of Histories!

Thanks for spreading the truth.

Qanon interesting. INTERESTING.

Thanks to Gabrielė for a fascinating laboratory – the children say that it was very short – an hour seemed like 20 minutes! Wonderful, tempting other expositions – BRAVO to the team! We wish you that the New Year 2024 was full of ideas!

6th graders of Vilnius Waldorf Green School

Bella espozione!

Very FUN, I was with the class and learned new things.

THANK YOU!

Arina

Really liked it!

VDU students

love the people, the space, history. This is close to home. like a good friend, accepting, and that’s I mean all the time

LNM, you ROCK! Have a good 2024!

A visitor full of good emotions

Stefania from Italy

Plans for 2024

Vilnius Book Fair

Lithuanian Exhibition and Congress Centre LITEXPO

FRANCE

A Lithuanian in Aix. Kazys Varnelis in Dialogue

Fondation Vasarely, Aix-en-Provence

QALQAN Crimean Tatar writings

The Bastion of the Vilnius Defence Wall

JAPAN Exhibition of Exiles

The Museum of Exiles, Tokyo

The 19th Century Herring’s Journey to Our Seaside

Jonas Šliūpas Museum

Gromatnyczia – Aušra Facebook

Jonas Šliūpas Museum Dialogue

Aix-en-Provence

A Rendezvous with Childhood

Vincas Kudirka Museum

FRANCE

Ethnographic OpArt

Fondation Vasarely, Aix-en-Provence

We thank all employees, for a meaningful and We are waiting for you,

employees, visitors, and partners creative year 2023. you, our visitors, in 2024!

Castellan's House