Geležinkelių muziejus

About the museum

The idea of a railway museum emerged as early as the interwar period, but it was only founded in 1966, when the management of the Vilnius district of the Baltic Railway established the Geležinkelininkų darbo šlovės muziejus (Museum of the Glory of Railway Workers). The material collected at first on the lives of railway workers, photographs and a few models formed the basis of the museum's collection. In 1979 the museum received the title of a folk museum, and from 1985 it was named after its founder and long-time director: the Lietuvos geležinkelininkų Georgijaus Žemaičio liaudies muziejus (Georgijus Žemaitis Folk Museum of Lithuanian Railway Workers).

In 1998 the museum moved to new premises on Mindaugo gatvė, and on 7 December 2010 it was closed for reconstruction and moved to the passenger building of Vilnius railway station, at Geležinkelio gatvė 16. It reopened to visitors on 1 June 2011. The museum is on the second floor of the station building, built in 1861, in three halls: the exhibition hall, the hall for exhibitions and events, and the educational model hall, where three railway models operate.

The indoor exhibition shows photographs, diagrams, posters, work tools, signs and other objects that tell of passenger train routes and the work of railway staff. Behind the building, on the former “Skubos” track of Vilnius station, the Bėgių parkas (Track Park) covers 7,100 sq m: historic carriages, heating wagons, steam locomotives and track machines are displayed on four dead-end tracks. The museum has a branch, the Šiaulių geležinkelio muziejus (Šiauliai Railway Museum).

Highlights

• Historic railway exhibition in the station building
• Track Park: historic carriages, heating wagons and steam locomotives outdoors
• Model hall with three railway models
• Escape-from-the-carriage game
• Water crane for steam locomotives, made in 1938 at the Kaunas central workshops

Permanent exhibitions

• Vidaus ekspozicija Vilniaus geležinkelio stotyje – Photographs, diagrams, posters, work tools and signs tell the story of Lithuania's railways, passenger train routes and the work of railway staff.
• Bėgių parkas – In the outdoor exhibition, historic carriages, heating wagons, steam locomotives and track machines stand on four dead-end tracks.

Founded

1966

Operated by

AB „Lietuvos geležinkeliai“

Admission & discounts

The outdoor exhibition in the Bėgių parkas can be visited free of charge without a museum guide. Payment at the museum ticket office is possible by payment card only. Pupils of children's homes, staff of the LTG group, staff of Lithuanian museums and ICOM members also enter free.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

The museum has an educational model hall with three railway models; educational sessions and tours are offered, as well as a family ticket.

Getting there & parking

The museum is on the second floor of the Vilnius railway station building, Geležinkelio g. 16.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit