Tauragės krašto muziejus

About the museum

In the towers of Tauragė Castle the first temporary exhibitions of the district museum were set up as early as 1984: in the eastern tower material on the Second World War was shown, in the southern tower material on the history of the Higher Commercial School, Honoré de Balzac's visit, the Tauragė Convention of 1812 and the industry of the town. These exhibitions operated until 1987. The museum actually began to operate on 1 September 1990, when its first director was appointed. The premises of the former technical school building (of the castle) were allotted to him on the first floor; the name “Santaka” (“Confluence”) was chosen because the histories and customs of people of different faiths and nationalities meet in the Tauragė region.

The first ethnography exhibition was set up in 1992, and the nature exhibition was created from stuffed animals of the Tauragė Forest Enterprise's nature museum. In 2010, after a reorganisation, the Tauragės krašto muziejus (Tauragė Regional Museum) was established as a budgetary institution of Tauragė district municipality, and over several years most of the museum's premises in the castle were thoroughly reconstructed. At the beginning of 2019 new History, Ethnography and Nature exhibitions were opened.

Today the castle houses the nature exhibition with six zones and live fish aquariums, the history exhibition from prehistory to the present day, the ethnography exhibition with an interactive table of national costumes, the archaeology tower with copies of finds from the Dauglaukis burial ground, the photography gallery and the castle hall with a restored Empire-style interior. The museum also has the Tremties ir rezistencijos muziejus (Museum of Deportation and Resistance), the Skaudvilės krašto muziejus (Skaudvilė Regional Museum) and other branches.

Highlights

• History exhibition from prehistory and the Tauragė manor to the modern industrial town
• Nature exhibition with six zones, live fish and a bird quiz
• Archaeology tower with copies of the Dauglaukis burial ground finds and a kinetic sand box
• Castle hall with a restored Empire-style interior and shadow theatre installations
• Photography gallery and exhibition hall in the castle

Permanent exhibitions

• Istorijos ekspozicija – The history of the Tauragė region from prehistory to the present day: archaeological finds, the remains of the manor, the border with Prussia, the world wars and the industrial town.
• Gamtos ekspozicija – Six zones with birds, mammals, live fish, a house of invertebrates and an interactive quiz.
• Etnografijos ekspozicija – The everyday life of the southern Samogitian peasants, textiles, national costumes and a hall of folk art.

Founded

1990

Operated by

Tauragės rajono savivaldybė

Admission & discounts

Free admission: On Wednesdays, groups of pupils from the educational institutions of Tauragė district and their accompanying teachers visit free of charge.

The ticket is valid for all exhibitions and temporary exhibitions (nature, history, ethnography, the Amžių bokštas (Tower of Ages), the castle hall, the archaeology tower, the photography gallery and the exhibition hall). A guided tour in a foreign language (English) costs the usual price plus €10. Payment is also possible by bank card. Free admission for museum staff and persons aged 80 and over.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations

The exhibitions have interactive elements: a bird quiz, puzzles, a kinetic sand box and a table of national costumes. The family ticket is €4 for an adult and €2 for a child.

Getting there & parking

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

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