Can we talk… about museums in Lithuania

“Fluxus Labas”, Culture to Yards, Courtesy of Kaunas 2022.

In anticipation of NEMO’s European Museum Conference, ‘Can we talk? Museums facing polarisation’, we’re delighted to announce a series of articles from five talented museum professionals who have been awarded travel grants to attend the conference in Sibiu, Romania.

Each grant holder, located in South and Central-Eastern Europe, will explore and reflect on one or more of the conference’s key panel topics, examining issues of polarisation from the perspective of their unique backgrounds and regional insights.

The article below is written by guest author Živilė Miežytė, Curator of education and public programmes at Vilnius City Museum (Lithuania). The words and opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

Can we talk… about museums in Lithuania

As someone who once held very common, but outdated views of museums as static and boring, I've been very inspired by the turn Lithuanian museums have taken in recent years. By responding to contemporary issues, actively engaging with their communities, and sometimes surprising visitors with what they choose to talk about, they are slowly changing the definition of the Lithuanian word “muziejus”. In the following overview, I’d like to share how.

Responding to Current Challenges

Since the war started in 2022, Lithuanian museums have taken an active role in supporting Ukraine. This has manifested in several ways: collaboration with Ukrainian cultural institutions to protect collections, and organizing workshops, and city tours for refugees. The National Museum of Lithuania has recently opened the international exhibition "Kyivan Rus’.Origins" which showcases Ukrainian collections and history. Support for Ukraine is not a controversial topic in Lithuania, and it is not very surprising that the museums have taken a clear stance.

However, some museums in Lithuania haven't shied away from more controversial topics. While LGBTQ+ rights remain a contentious issue in Lithuania that is often politicized (with same-sex partnership legislation yet to pass and the "minors protection from harmful information” law restricting access to certain information still in place), both private and national museums have shown support and interest. The National Museum of Lithuania recently has started collecting objects representing the LGBTQ+ community.

The Vilnius City Museum's exhibition "Inconvenient Vilnius" delves into the city's marginalized and often forgotten stories, including the experiences of the LGBTQ+ community. While the inclusion of these stories and their placement at the beginning of the exhibition has been the subject of some visitor criticism, the museum views this as a positive sign of reaching a diverse audience and challenging prevailing narratives.

Places of Dialogue

We have observed museums striving to reimagine themselves as spaces for conversation and dialogue. However, with the challenge of attracting more diverse audiences, these efforts often result in a very elaborate monologue or a conversation with like-minded people.

I’d like to share one example from our work with the “Inconvenient Vilnius” exhibition, where we invited visitors to share personal stories responding to thought-provoking questions. The depth and diversity of the stories surprised us. Perhaps most intriguing was to see how these experiences sometimes speak to each other.

As illustrated in the photo, two visitors shared their experiences in response to different prompts. One wrote, "Having a Slavic surname [is a stereotype I experience]. Labeling starts immediately," while another shared, "If it's Russian, I get annoyed" when hearing a foreign language on the street. The juxtaposition of these two very different perspectives, both of which are acknowledged as authentic human experiences, invites other visitors to engage in a deeper reflection.

Community Engagement

Like many cities developed during the Soviet era, Kaunas and Vilnius both have neighborhoods known as "miegamieji rajonai," or "sleeping districts." To create a more inclusive and democratic museum environment, one effective strategy has been to step outside the traditional museum setting and engage with communities in their everyday spaces. This approach effectively breaks down barriers to participation and fosters a sense of ownership among residents.

One successful example is "Fluxus Labas Community Laboratory", a community program within the Kaunas European Capital of Culture framework in 2022 with extensive reach to residents. Kaunas City Museum continues to work within districts with initiatives such as the “Festival of Stories”. Likewise, the Vilnius City Museum holds exhibitions that take place within these neighborhoods (most cultural institutions are based in the old town).

There's also a shift towards working with under-represented groups. While more commonly this involvement resembled consultations, exciting projects with more inclusive practices have emerged lately. They prompt us to question and redefine the role of museums and our attempts to address inherent power imbalances while rebuilding trust with underrepresented groups.

The National Museum of Lithuania launched a timely festival called "My Migration Story", now in its fourth year. The project fosters empathy by presenting Lithuanian emigration stories in conversation with those of immigrants in Lithuania.

A notable example of community engagement is the "The Great Industry" exhibition series on industrial heritage and the "Backup Stories" community platform led by the M. K. Čiurlionis National Museum of Art. Through co-curated exhibitions, displays of personal memories, and creative mediation, this series gives voice to long-silenced former workers of Kaunas factories who witnessed the rise and fall of socialist industry.

Currently, the Vilnius City Museum is developing an exhibition on the Vilnius Roma community and its history. This process involves collaborating closely with Roma youth on every level (data collection, selection, and interpretation, architecture, and design). This collaboration has demanded some rethinking of our museum processes. While challenging, it's a rewarding journey that encourages introspection among museum staff, promoting more open conversations.

Biogprahy of Živilė Miežytė

Živilė Miežytė is a curator of education and public programs at the Vilnius City Museum. Drawing on her background in social anthropology, she seeks to create engaging, participatory experiences that connect diverse audiences with cultural heritage.