Kauno IX forto muziejus

About the museum

The Ninth Fort was built from 1903 as part of the Kaunas Fortress, which guarded the western border of the Russian Empire. During the First World War, in 1915, the fortress was taken by German troops, and the fort suffered little damage. In independent Lithuania, in 1924–1940, a branch of the Kaunas hard-labour prison operated here, holding criminal and political prisoners, and from 1934 women as well.

At the beginning of the Soviet occupation, in 1940–1941, the fort became a transit point for sending political prisoners to camps. During the Nazi occupation, in 1941–1944, the Ninth Fort was turned into one of the largest sites of mass murder in Lithuania: about 50,000 people were killed here, mostly Jews from Lithuania and other European countries.

The museum opened in the fort in 1959; a monument and memorial complex were erected in 1984, and from 1997 the fort's underground passages and defensive wall have been open to visitors. Today the museum occupies about 50 ha, including the site of the mass murder, a burial place, a monument and exhibitions. These present the history of the prison, the Soviet and Nazi occupations, the Kaunas ghetto and the Jewish rescuers; the tours also allow visitors to see the fortifications of the Kaunas Fortress.

Key themes

• Memorial complex and monument to the victims of Nazism on the site of the mass murder
• Exhibitions on the Kaunas hard-labour prison, with punishment cells and a visiting cabin
• Nazi occupation exhibition: a prisoners' cell, a Kaunas ghetto hideout and the rescuers Sugihara and Zwartendijk
• Defensive wall and underground passages of the Ninth Fort
• Tours about the Kaunas Fortress and the Holocaust in Kaunas

Permanent exhibitions

• Kauno sunkiųjų darbų kalėjimas (1924–1940) – The exhibition tells of the everyday life and punishments of prisoners: three punishment cells of the time (“Šlapiasis” – “The Wet One”, “Kurortinis” – “The Resort”, and “Betonis maišas” – “Concrete Sack”) and a visiting cabin are shown.
• Sovietinė okupacija (1940–1941 ir 1944–1990) – The Lithuanian public figures imprisoned in the fort in 1940–1941 are presented, with their cases, documents and letters from the camps.
• Nacistinė okupacija (1941–1944) – The exhibitions introduce the mass murders at the Ninth Fort, the Kaunas ghetto and the diplomats who rescued Jews, and the inscriptions left in a prisoners' cell.

Founded

1959

Operated by

Biudžetinė įstaiga

Director

Marius Pečiulis

Admission & discounts

Free admission: On the last Sunday of each month the exhibitions are free of charge (take the free ticket at the ticket office).

Free admission also for children in orphanages, socially supported persons, persons aged 80 and over, Lithuanian museum staff, ICOM members, persons accompanying pupil groups, guides and holders of a family card.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

The museum is by the Klaipėda–Kaunas motorway (A1) and the Via Baltica road Kaunas–Marijampolė (E67). Driving by car, turn towards Marijampolė via the western bypass of Kaunas and follow the signs “IX fortas”. Getting off at the “9-ojo forto muziejus” stop, go back towards the Kaunas–Klaipėda road and cross the underground passage. The ticket office is at Žemaičių Avenue 73; the fort itself is at Žemaičių Avenue 75.

Amenities & dining

Pets, food and drinks are not allowed into the exhibitions; children's scooters and bicycles must be left in the inner courtyard.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

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