EXHIBITIONS
PANEVĖŽYS HISTORY EXPOSITION "DIALOGUES OF EPOCHS"
The exposition composed of the following interactive stories:
"WE ARE PROUD OF PANEVĖŽYS"
In the entrance hall of the Museum there are exhibited the photographs taken by Leiba Slonimskis (the early 20th century), Antanas Patamsis (1930s), Jonas Ambraška (the Soviet era and the early 20th century). The photos represent how Panevėžys has changed over 100 years.
The exposition introduces the history of the Coats of Arms of the Republic of Lithuania, the ethnographic region Aukštaitija and Panevėžys. There are exhibited the city plan of 1839, the aerial photograph fixed from German army reconnaissance aircraft on the 29th of July, 1944 with targets, demolitions and pits knocked out by bombs marked on it. Everyone could also see the secret military city plan of Panevėžys in 1969.
The exposition reminds the people, events, institutions and companies that made the capital of Aukštaitija famous. These are residents of Panevėžys who have left a bright trace in the city history - the winners of the National Prize, the honorary citizens of the city, the most famous artists of Panevėžys. On display there are the creative works of the artist Stasys Eidrigevičius, the sculptors Juozas Lebednykas and Alfridas Pajuodis, the glass artist Remigijus Kriukas, the photographers Algimantas Aleksandravičius, Saulius Saladūnas and Andrius Repšys, Panevėžys ceramic symposium consultant and participant Rimas Tadas VisGirda (USA).
"ETHNOGRAPHY OF PANEVĖŽYS REGION"
The ethnography of Panevėžys region is presented through the Tree of Life symbolism.
One part of the exposition is dedicated to the household and traditional way of life of Panevėžys region. Next part presents the cross-crafting, which was inscribed into the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2001. Sacred traditional wooden sculpture, iron cross tops, works by Vincas Svirskis are exhibited. The interior fragment of the god-maker’s home is presented here. The third part is dedicated to folklore of Panevėžys region. It presents the old folk music instruments, Panevėžys dialect, songs and instrumental music typical for this region.
Stasys Eidrigevičius, the winner of the National Prize, reads his poetry excerpt from his book “Singing Rooster's Head” (Lith. „Giedanti gaidžio galva“) in the Northern Panevėžys dialect. A musical peace is being played with kanklės, which was made by the famous resident from Krekenava town Stanislovas Rudis. Unique distaffs, ornamented washing paddles, rolling pins dating back more than one hundred years are exhibited here.
"FROM PREHISTORY TO THE MODERNIZING CITY"
The archeological exposition of the Museum reflects the life in Panevėžys region from the earliest times to the Stone Age – up to the 16th century. It presents more than 370 pieces of archaeological findings from Museum storage of exhibits and from archaeological research of recent decades.
The following material of archeological research in Panevėžys region (in 2010 and 2017) is exhibited here: the findings of Mesolithic period, the metal tools from Bronze period. There are the Stone Age settlement and the archeological research site installed in the exposition. An exclusive exhibit is the horse bridle decorated with silver bindings and brass bells. The exhibits of the 13th – 16th centuries are related to the Land of Upytė and its significance for all Panevėžys region. There is an educational cabinet "Cultural layers and treasures".
Another part of the exposition is dedicated to the development of Panevėžys city since its establishment in 1503 until the First World War. It is a story about the formation of today's society, how the members of medieval traditional communities became the members of modern national, professional, cultural, social and other communities. The most important events of the city are highlighted here: the founding of the city in 1503; the beginning of Panevėžys self-government in 1791–1792; the abolition of serfdom in 1861; the Uprising of 1863–1864; 1905 year revolution. The most impressive exhibits illustrate the history: the alabaster vase from Naudvaris manor, the artifacts of 1863–1864 Uprising, the model of Panevėžys main Synagogue, the sculpture "Smuggler" (Lith. “Knygnešys”) created by Juozas Zikaras.
"IN SQUEEZE OF OCCUPATIONS"
The exposition reviews the history of Panevėžys city in the period of 1940–1990. It includes the years of the first Soviet occupation (1940–1941), Nazi (1941–1944) and second Soviet (1953–1990) occupations.
The exposition of 1940–1941 and 1944–1953 is installed in a simulated wagon of a train with a sliding door, symbolizing the deportations of innocent Lithuanian residents, the deportations were executed by the occupation regime. Photographs, documents, authentic post-war partisan weapons, typewriter details from a former partisan bunker in the Raguva forest (the typewriter likely was used by the poet, partisan Bronius Krivickas), complement the history of the first and second Soviet occupations and partisan resistance movement. Video records of the former deportees’ memories are displayed. In another train wagon, there is an exposition about the Nazi occupation (1941–1944) and the genocide of Jews and Romani at that period. One of the most unique exhibits is the walking stick of the German officer F. W. Bahner; the names of the cities which he marched with his military unit through are engraved on this stick.
The exposition “The city in the years of political warming, stagnation and reforms. 1953–1990” is equipped in the kitchen of the multistorey apartment block house (called "Khrushchevke") which was so popular in the Soviet era (from the end of the 1950s). The products produced in Panevėžys industrial enterprises are displayed here as well as visual, audio and documentary material testifying the Soviet government's efforts to mobilize the country's population to create a new communist society. The items in the boxes show how Soviet propaganda differed from people’s private lives. You can hear a broadcast of a foreign radio station secretly listened to by the residents of Lithuania during the Soviet era, with the interference of radio waves emitted by the Soviet government.
"RED TERROR"
This part of the exposition installed in the basement of the main Museum building is dedicated for commemorating the victims of Soviet occupiers. The victims were doctors Juozas Žemgulis, Stanislovas Mačiulis, Antanas Gudonis, the medical sister of mercy Zinaida Kanis-Kanevičienė, the assistant of accountant Antanas Čibinskas, the technician Vilhelmas Vaišvila, the railwayman Kazys Šlekys. They all were killed in June of 1941 in the basement of the NKVD and at the Sugar Factory.
The first part of the exposition tells about the activities, which the above-mentioned tragic fate people had before the Soviet occupation. The interior of Z. Kanis-Kanevičienė’s room symbolizes the hopeful pre-war life. You can hear the gramophone melodies of popular songs of that period performed by the singer Antanas Šabaniauskas.
In the center of the second part is the NKVD interrogator's office. The harsh atmosphere is created by sounds, authentic objects of that period - the table lamp, the telephone, the restored uniform of an NKVD officer, the stool on which interrogating people were sitting, and so on. Five stands installed between the prison bars tell about the tragic events, the preservation and commemoration of these cruel events. There you’ll get to know about the photographer Jonas Žitkus, who photographed the Soviet crimes, the funeral of the victims of the Red Terror, and later who was imprisoned by the Soviets.
"PANEVĖŽYS IN THE YEAR OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA. 1918–1940"
The exposition of 1920–1940 shows how the city has changed quantitatively and qualitatively in a relatively short period of Independence.
Exhibits of the modernized Panevėžys are presented: radio apparatus, the men's bicycle produced at the German company “Mifa”, the dishes with the image of the Grand Duke of Lithuania dedicated to the year of Vytautas the Great, and the firefighter's suit. You can hear the phone call of notary Jonas Moigis, see the President of the Republic of Lithuania Antanas Smetona visiting Panevėžys. The romantic interior of Mrs. Karolina Moigienė’s room, the candies produced in Panevėžys during the interwar period, the skates and the means of ladies’ cosmetics are exhibited here. The period and public life are illustrated by exceptional-sized images of the city, the city plan, and sound recordings.
The separate exposition space is dedicated to the Freedom theme. Visitors are introduced to the volunteers' struggles for Freedom of Lithuania, the liberation of Panevėžys from the Bolsheviks (on the 18th–19th of May, 1919), commemorating the volunteer struggles. One of the most meaningful exhibits there is the work of the sculptor Juozas Zikaras in 1925, it is the project of the Freedom Monument created for the city of Panevėžys. The impressive hologram with the symbols of Freedom is displayed next to the Monument.
PANEVĖŽYS SPORTS HISTORY EXPOSITION "HEALTHY BODY – HEALTHY SOUL"
The exposition of Panevėžys sports history in the "Cido" arena (Parko str. 12) reveals the history of Panevėžys sports from the early 20th century to the present days.
The exposition presents the most significant achievements of table tennis, football, basketball, cycling, motorcycle sports, and the achievements of visually impaired athletes. Famous athletes there are presented: Vilhelmas Variakojis, who was a table tennis, basketball and volleyball player, basketball and table tennis coach, Vytautas Lapėnas, who was an aviator and Lithuanian political and public figure, Edvardas Ramonas, who made the motorcycle sports famous, the basketball coaches Jonas Kazlauskas and Raimundas Sargūnas, the bicyclist Laima Zilporytė and many others.
To visit exposition call tel. (8 45) 59 61 81.
"EXHIBITION OF THE RESISTANCE TO THE SOVIET OCCUPATION AND THE SĄJŪDIS MOVEMENT"
Exposition to the Resistance to Soviet occupation and the Sąjūdis (Reform) Movement is opened in the authentic place – in the former premises of Panevėžys Group of Sąjūdis Movement (Respublikos str. 17) on the 23rd of August, 2004.
The exposition reveals the large scale of the nation's resistance to the totalitarian regime since the 15th of June, 1940 until the 11th of March, 1990. Impressive photos and picturesque interior, authentic exhibits create a realistic mood, introduce the most important stages and events of the anti-Soviet movement. There is a modern digital exposition, the video films are displayed and a number of educational programs are presented for students.
Respublikos str. 17
II–IV 10.00–18.00
VI 11.00–16.00
Contact us: telephone for information (8 45) 59 61 81; e-mail
EXPOSITION "THE NOBLEMEN OF UPYTĖ"
The exposition is installed in the building of the former Upytė Pavietas (District) Court Archive (Kranto str. 21), which was built in 1614. This building is the oldest house in Panevėžys and the oldest building of the Lithuanian Archives, reminiscing the times of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, therefore it is State-protected Cultural Heritage Site.
The exposition presents the city of Panevėžys, which became the center of Upytė Pavietas after the administrative and court reforms in 1564–1566. Other buildings of the Pavietas Court stood next to the mentioned Archive, where the courts of the land, the castle and the chamberlain (Pol. Podkomorzy) hold meetings, and the Pavietas noblemen gathered into the Seimas. The exposition presents the noblemen’s way of life, the culture and values of the manor residents of Panevėžys region. The exposition reminds that the first exposition of Panevėžys Museum was opened in this building in 1925.
Authentic objects of the nobility's environment (furniture, dishes, interior details, ladies' accessories), coin treasure, photos of manors and portraits of landowners, the Coats of Arms of the most famous nobility of the region are exhibited here. The interior of the manor is equipped there, in the basement there is the installation of the legendary nobleman of Upytė Pavietas of the 17th century Vladislovas Sicinskis-Čičinskas.
Kranto str. 21
Contact us to visit the exposition
Telephone for information (8 45) 59 61 81; e-mail informacija@panevezomuziejus.lt