Raseinių krašto istorijos muziejus

About the museum

The Raseinių krašto istorijos muziejus (Raseiniai Regional History Museum) was founded in 1975 in several rooms of a vocational technical school, which were in the former arrest house. The arrest house in Raseiniai was built in 1930 to a design by German architects. From 1932 juvenile prisoners brought from all over Lithuania were held here, and in 1935 a three-storey wing with 60 single cells was built. In 1940 the arrest house became a Soviet prison, overcrowded with prisoners during the occupations; in 1952 the prison was abolished, and later a vocational technical school operated here.

After reconstruction in 1985–1987, the central building of the arrest house became the permanent home of the museum. In 1992 the first five exhibitions on the history of the Raseiniai region, folk art and traditional crafts were opened.

Today the museum displays permanent exhibitions on the history of the arrest house, sacred art, ethnography with a play area for children, the 1863 Uprising in the Raseiniai region, the volunteers of the region, the work of the bookplate and illustration artist Jonas Kuzminskis, and the collection of clay birds and small animals by the self-taught creator Valeras Kuzas. The museum has four branches: the Simonas Stanevičius homestead museum in Kanopėnai, the Betygalos muziejus (Betygala Museum), the Pasandravio istorinis draustinis (Pasandravys Historical Reserve, Maironis's Homeland) and the Šiluvos piligrimų informacijos centro muziejus (Šiluva Pilgrims' Information Centre Museum).

Highlights

• The former 1930 Raseiniai arrest house with an exhibition on the history of the prison
• Sacred art exhibition with treasures from the churches of Šiluva, Viduklė and other parishes
• Valeras Kuzas's clay encyclopaedia – 377 clay birds and small animals
• Ethnography hall with a play area for children
• Four branches in Raseiniai district, including Maironis's homeland and the Šiluva centre

Permanent exhibitions

• Raseinių arešto namų (kalėjimo) istorija – The exhibition tells the story of the arrest house built in 1930 and of the Soviet prison in the same building.
• Sakralinis menas – Church art treasures from Šiluva, Ugionys, Viduklė, Raseiniai and other churches, and Lithuanian folk sacred art – wayside crosses, chapels and small figures of saints.
• Valero Kuzo molinė enciklopedija – 377 clay birds, animals and small creatures modelled by the self-taught creator Valeras Kuzas; the collection can also be viewed on a touch screen.

Founded

1975

Operated by

Raseinių rajono savivaldybė

Admission & discounts

Accessibility

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Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Hands-on stations
• Playground / play area

The ethnography hall has a children's “Play area” (“Žaidimo erdvė”) with an interactive game, “Etnografijos lobynas” (“Treasure of Ethnography”).

Getting there & parking

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Amenities & dining

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Events & venue rental

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Plan your visit