Yesterday, on September 22, we celebrated Culture Day and the 150th anniversary of M. K. Čiurlionis’ birth.
The Anykščiai Arts Center team set out on a meaningful educational trip. We’d like to share this inspiring experience with you and warmly invite you to visit these museums as well!
Our first stop was the Biržų krašto muziejus SĖLA.
There, together with our colleagues from the Zarasai Regional Museum, we were warmly welcomed by museum director Edita Lansbergienė. We explored the magnificent spaces of Biržai Castle and heard fascinating stories that sparked our curiosity. Among the highlights was one of the most impressive monuments of 16th-century printing in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania—the Brest (Radziwiłł) Bible. We also visited exhibitions on folk art, religions, and more. A rare treat was the chance to hear the sound of a 17th-century portable organ (organetto).
Lina Kuncytė, head of the Visitors’ Services, Education, and Communication Department, introduced us to the ethnographic, ethnocultural, archaeological, and educational sections of the Biržai Museum. We learned about the history of Biržai town, manors, and fortress from the 16th–18th centuries, the era of the Tyszkiewicz Counts, and the arsenal of Biržai Fortress, where we saw an exhibition of hussar weaponry and armor brought from Poland.
Our journey then took us to Kupiškis, where guide Nida Galvanauskienė greeted us. We discovered new facts about the town’s landmarks, the famous Lamb sculpture, the history of the local Jewish community, and we visited the library housed in a former synagogue as well as the Church of the Ascension of Christ.
Finally, we stopped by the Kupiškis Museum, where museum specialist Miglė Zakarauskaitė presented an exhibition of folk artists’ works, ethnographic artifacts, and antique toys. We learned about the traditions of old Kupiškis weddings and saw the accompanying displays. We admired the bright, welcoming museum spaces and discussed opportunities for future collaboration with museum director Kostas Malakauskas.
We sincerely thank our fellow museum professionals for their time and hospitality, and we return home full of new ideas!