Žaliūkių malūnininko sodyba-muziejus
An ethnocultural homestead with a 19th-century windmill, a miller's house and an ethnographic exhibition, where grain is ground and bread is baked.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Žaliūkių vėjo malūnas (Žaliūkiai Windmill) was built around 1875–1880 in what was then the village of Žaliūkiai, and is the only surviving object of wooden architecture and technical heritage in Šiauliai. It is a so-called Dutch-type cap mill. A miller's homestead stood beside it, and during the First World War the mill supplied flour to the bakery of the tsarist army.
After nationalisation the mill was abandoned; in 1957 it stopped grinding, and in 1967 it was transferred to the “Aušros” muziejus. In 1970 an exhibition on the history of grain milling opened here – the first museum of its kind in Lithuania. The mill was later restored, the miller's house was recreated on the homestead, and in 2022 a barn moved from the village of Medginai (Joniškis district) was erected. In 2023 an exhibition of ethnographic objects in open storage was set up in the barn.
Grain is ground and bread is baked on the homestead all year round, and educational programmes and calendar festivals are held there: Užgavėnės (Shrovetide), Atvelykis (Easter Monday), Kupolinės, Žolinė (Assumption) and the autumnal equinox.
Highlights
- 19th-century windmill with authentic grain-milling equipment
- Restored miller's house with an ethnographic exhibition
- Open-storage exhibition in the barn
- Educational programmes, bread baking and calendar festivals
- Children's playground and car park
Permanent exhibitions
- Žaliūkių vėjo malūno ekspozicija – Restored 19th-century windmill with authentic grain-milling equipment and an exhibition on the history of grain processing.
- Malūnininko troba ir atvirų saugyklų ekspozicija – Restored miller's house with an ethnographic exhibition, and a barn showing village life in Northern and Central Lithuania from the late 19th to the first half of the 20th century.
- Founded
- 1970
- Operated by
- Šiaulių „Aušros“ muziejus
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €6 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €3pupils, students, pensioners, members of the Riflemen's Union, military personnel, political prisoners and deportees, veterans of the Lithuanian Armed Forces and members of creative unions (50% discount) |
| Children & teens | –Admission is free for pre-school children; pupils receive a 50% discount. |
| Seniors | €3People of retirement age receive a 50% discount; admission is free for people aged 80 and over. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Admission is free for persons with disabilities and their assistant (one accompanying person). |
| Students & apprentices | €3For full-time students at higher education institutions (citizens of EU and EEA countries). |
| Families | –Family discount: 1–2 adults with a minor child (children) receive a 50% discount on the admission ticket; holders of a Family Card receive a 50% discount. |
| Guided tour (up to 30 people) | €30No discounts apply; an admission ticket must also be purchased. |
Free admission: On the last Sunday of each month all visitors may visit the museum free of charge.
Prices valid from 1 September 2026. Free admission is also available for orphans and children without parental care, teachers accompanying groups of pupils, Lithuanian museum staff and ICOM members.
Accessibility
- Partially wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
Visitors with mobility impairments can enter the miller's house, and an adapted toilet has been installed.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
- Family tours & workshops
- Hands-on stations
- Playground / play area
Educational programmes are held for children and pupils; families with minor children receive a 50% discount on the admission ticket.
Getting there & parking
By car
Parking available
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
- Private parties
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Photography | A professional 2-hour photo session with your own photographer in the miller's house and on the homestead grounds costs €100; to register, call +370 41 21 11 98. |
| Good to know | Guided tours can be booked in advance by registering at the museum. |