Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights
Vilniaus apskritis
The Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights in Vilnius is dedicated to documenting and exhibiting Lithuania's 50-year Soviet occupation and the resistance against it. Established in 1992 and located in the former KGB headquarters, the museum chronicles the Soviet repression, including arrests, deportations, and executions of Lithuanians. It also highlights the armed and non-violent resistance movements, especially the Forest Brothers partisan fighters. The building itself, constructed in 1890, has a complex history serving various regimes including Russian Empire courts, German Gestapo headquarters during World War II, and Soviet KGB offices and prison. Visitors can explore preserved prison cells, interrogation rooms, and exhibitions that include documents, photographs, and personal belongings of victims and freedom fighters. While the museum initially focused on Soviet-era atrocities, it has incorporated a Holocaust exposition since 2011, responding to international critique. The museum continues to expand its collections through public donations and offers educational programs and audio guides in English.
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Tip: Visit during weekdays for a quieter experience and consider joining guided thematic tours for deeper insight. Entrance is free, but booking in advance is recommended for group visits. The museum offers audio guides in English and hosts educational programs suitable for various audiences.
Zajímavosti
- •The museum is located in the former KGB headquarters where over 1,000 prisoners were executed between 1944 and the early 1960s.
- •Walls in the prison cells still bear inscriptions left by Gestapo prisoners during Nazi occupation.
- •The museum was formerly known as the Museum of Genocide Victims until it was renamed in 2018 following international criticism.
- •The building served various regimes including the Russian Empire, Nazi Germany, Poland, and the Soviet Union throughout its history.
- •The museum includes a recreated telephone tapping room with original equipment from the Soviet era.
Historie
The museum was founded in 1992 by order of Lithuania's Minister of Culture and Education and the president of the Lithuanian Union of Political Prisoners and Deportees.
It occupies a building completed in 1890, which originally housed the Vilna Governorate court.
Over the 20th century, the building served multiple roles: as a conscription center, revolutionary tribunal, Polish court, Gestapo headquarters during Nazi occupation, and KGB offices and prison during the Soviet era.
From 1944 to the early 1960s, over 1,000 prisoners were executed in its basement.
The museum was reorganized in 1997 under the Genocide and Resistance Research Centre of Lithuania and renamed in 2018 to reflect a broader focus on occupations and freedom fights.
Průvodce po místě
Basement Prison Cells and Interrogation Rooms1940-1991
Preserved prison cells and interrogation rooms used by the NKVD, Gestapo, and KGB, including the execution chamber disguised as a kitchen. Visitors can see original inscriptions on the walls and learn about the torture methods used.
Holocaust and Nazi Occupation Exhibition2011
Located in one of the former KGB prison cells, this exhibition opened in 2011 and documents the Nazi occupation of Lithuania and the Holocaust, addressing previous omissions in the museum's narrative.
Partisan and Resistance ExhibitionsPost-1992
Exhibits featuring documents, photographs, and artifacts related to the Forest Brothers' armed resistance and non-violent opposition to Soviet occupation, including underground publications and personal belongings of victims.
Recreated Telephone Tapping Room
An authentic reconstruction of a KGB listening post with original furniture and surveillance equipment, showcasing Soviet-era espionage techniques.
Kontakt
Telefon: (0-602) 87022