Kelmės krašto muziejus

About the museum

The Kelmė manor site began to form in the 15th century, when Kelmė was a manor of the Grand Duke of Lithuania. In 1591 the manor passed to the Gružauskiai (Gruževskis) family, who held it for about 350 years. The brick palace was built around 1780, and the two-storey gate building in the form of a tower as early as 1668. On this estate, in 1831, the uprising against tsarist Russia first began in Lithuania.

The manor ensemble is protected as state cultural heritage: a rarely surviving Baroque provincial manor estate in Lithuania, with an area of 15.2 ha, a park and nine surviving buildings from the manor period. Since 1990 the Kelmės krašto muziejus (Kelmė Regional Museum) has been housed in the palace.

Because of the renovation of the central palace, the exhibitions are currently shown in the granary and gate buildings, two exhibition cycles are in the palace, and a miniature exhibition is in the manor basement. The museum offers educational sessions on shepherding customs, traditional village life, Užgavėnės (Shrovetide) and the legends of the Kelmė region, and the tour “Kelmės miesto istorija” (History of Kelmė Town). Its branches are the Užvenčio kraštotyros muziejus (Užventis Local History Museum), the Povilo Višinskio memorialinis muziejus (Povilas Višinskis Memorial Museum), and the Šaukėnų and Žalpių kraštotyros muziejai (Šaukėnai and Žalpiai Local History Museums).

Highlights

• Baroque Kelmė manor estate and the 1668 gate building
• Exhibitions in the granary and gate building during the renovation
• Miniature exhibition in the manor basement
• Educational sessions: shepherding customs, old games, Shrovetide
• Tour “Kelmės miesto istorija” (History of Kelmė Town)

Permanent exhibitions

• Ekspozicijos svirne ir vartų pastate – During the renovation the museum’s exhibitions are shown in the Kelmė manor granary and in the 1668 gate building.
• Miniatiūrų paroda dvaro rūsyje – Miniature exhibition by the Ukrainian artist Vladimiras Kazarianas in the basement of the manor palace.

Founded

1990

Operated by

Kelmės rajono savivaldybė

Admission & discounts

During the renovation of the central palace of the Kelmė manor, a 50% discount applies to the visitor ticket.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations

The family ticket costs €7; for children, educational sessions are offered, for example old games and Shrovetide plays.

Getting there & parking

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Amenities & dining

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Events & venue rental

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