Kursiu Nerija Principinis

The first museum in Lithuania – The goals of the museum as de- tiques by Adam Honory Kirkor; zoology and botany, an ornitho- the Museum of Antiquities – was fined in its statutes and donations by the families of logical collection of over 1,000 founded in Vilnius in 1855. The programme of work were similar Duke Oginsky and Duke exhibits donated to the Museum date is significant not only to the to most other museums of the Radziwill, Count Plater and by Count R. Tyzenhauz, and history of museums in Lithuania time: registering, collecting and Count Tyszkiewicz, and others. other exhibits that supplemented but generally to the Lithuanian preserving the cultural and natu- Exhibits were also donated by the Museum’s collections year culture. The National Museum ral heritage of the country; study- ordinary citizens, public servants after year. The halls of the Natu- of Lithuania, the inheritor of the ing it and creating the opportu- and students. The catalogue of ral Department were used for collections and successor of the nities for public access. It was the Museum of Antiquities listed holding classes for students of Museum of Antiquities, cel- named as a museum with a his- 195 donors in 1858 and 323 in Vilnius gymnasiums. ebrates its 150th anniversary in torical profile in the statute. 1862, who had donated 6,595 The Museum turned to be popu- 2005. From the very first day of its es- exhibits to the Museum. lar and had significant cultural The aspirations of the educated tablishment it collected and rep- The Museum was opened to the influence. In 1862 it received as members of the society in the resented the heritage of the GDL. public on 29 April 1856 in the many as 10,360 visitors. early 19th century to collect the The Museum’s collections premises of the closed Vilnius Eustachy Tyszkiewicz was not national heritage, systematise and started with the donated per- University. It exhibited the weap- only happy that the antiquities promote it, and to preserve it for sonal collection of Tyszkiewicz onry of the Lithuanian nobility, held in the museum were pro- the future generations resulted in (approx. 6,000 exhibits, includ- tunics and flags of the army of tected from ruin but also because the idea of establishing a public ing coins, medals, historical the GDL; portraits of the Grand they were increasingly viewed by museum in Lithuania. The ini- paintings, engravings, maps, the Dukes of Lithuania, such as the public as an important sym- historical heritage of the GDL Vytautas, Sigismund Augustus, bol of historical memory. and a library containing more Stephen Bathory, Stanislaus The Museum of Antiquities and than 3,000 volumes). The librar- Augustus and other historical the Archaeology Commission ies, manuscripts and documents personalities; privileges of the functioning under it represented of monasteries and churches that rulers; tombstones, seals and the only centre of scholarship in were closed after the uprising of other historical items containing Lithuania at the time. Historical tiator of establishing this mu- 1831 were included in the col- coats of arms of the nobility and seum was Count Eustachy lections of the young Museum, national symbols; and goods Tyszkiewicz, a culture historian, as were the remains of the col- manufactured in the GDL. All patriot of the Grand Duchy of lections of the closed Vilnius of that represented historical Lithuania (GDL) and a person University. Later the collections monuments of the GDL that fos- with wide scholarly interests. He of the Museum were supple- tered the historical consciousness applied to the tsarist administra- mented with exhibits donated by of the society and raised pride in tion in 1848 with a proposal to private individuals and public Lithuania’s historical past. A establish a museum in Vilnius. organisations. The most signifi- separate section of the exposition However, this first official pro- cant pieces were given to the was devoted to Lithuanian my- posal was lost in the labyrinths Museum by the families of the thology and archaeology repre- of the administration. Tyszkie- nobility and landlords that had sented by statuettes of wicz filed another application in long historical and cultural tra- Lithuanian gods and goddesses 1851, but it was not until ditions. These exhibits served as and archaeological finds discov- 11 May 1855 that the Tsar an important source about the ered in the lands of the GDL. signed a decree on establishing history of the Lithuanian state. Two halls were occupied by the the Vilnius Archaeology Com- They included a large collection Natural Department consisting mission and the Museum of An- of weapons donated by Count of the remains of Vilnius Uni- tiquities in Vilnius. P. Kosakowski; a collection of an- versity collections of mineralogy, sources and studies were pub- At present it is a museum of the lished in the press, the catalogue history of the Lithuanian state COIN DEDICATED and album of the Museum was and its culture of a comprehen- LITHUANIAN published in 1858, and the pub- Museum of Antiquities and the sive nature. On 1 January 2004 TO THE 150th ANNIVERSARY lication of the Annals of the Lithuanian Scientific Society, the Museum held over 998,000 Museum began. and the Museum of History and exhibits. They represent the larg- OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF LITHUANIA COLLECTORS The work of the Museum was Ethnography was formed. A rich est and most unique collections disrupted by the policy of comprehensive exposition of of archaeological studies, histori- Silver Ag 925 Russification, which especially Lithuanian history was opened cal heritage and traditional na- COINS Quality proof intensified after the uprising of to the visitors in the Museum tional culture in the country, 1863. In 1865 the major part of established in the New Arsenal organised in seven museum de- Diameter 38.61mm the exhibits of the Museum of in the territory of the castles of partments: Archaeology, Medi- Weight 28.28 g Antiquities was taken to Mos- Vilnius on 5 November 1968. eval and Post-Medieval Archae- Words on the edge of the coin: PRO PUBLICO BONO cow. The remaining ones were In this way, the work of estab- ology, Ethnic Culture, Iconog- Designed by Antanas Þukauskas To all the monuments of ancient glory given to the Vilnius Public Li- lishing a national museum, ini- raphy, History, Modern History Mintage 1500 pcs We shall stand guard, tiated by the educated elite in brary opened by the authorities. and Numismatics. In addition to Issued 2005 And to the venerable founder of this sanctuary From 1866 to 1914 the Mu- the mid-19th century, continued. collecting and preserving cultural seum functioned as part of the When Lithuania regained inde- heritage, these departments are Pay our grateful regard. library. In 1915, with the ap- pendence, the Museum, as the also engaged in research, and the Lithuanian state and culture in proaching front line of World keeper of the main collections main findings are published in the New Arsenal, reflecting the L. Kondratavièius War I, part of the exhibits was relating to the history of the state the serial publications of the times of prosperity and decline Verse on opening the Museum of Antiquities. 1856 again taken to Russia. and its cultural development, was Museum, collection and exhibi- of the GDL from the formation 1919 saw the foundation of the renamed in 1992 as the National tion catalogues, and presented in of the state in the 13th century Museum of History and Ethnog- Museum of Lithuania. expositions and at thematic ex- to its collapse in 1795. This is raphy on the basis of the collec- hibitions. Since 1948 the Mu- the most representative expositions of the Museum of Antiqui- seum has regularly organised eth- tion on the country’s history and ties and the Lithuanian Scientific nographic and historical expedi- ethnic culture in Lithuania. Society. Jonas Basanavièius, one tions and conducted archaeologi- The exposition in the tower of Information is available at the Bank of Lithuania of the leaders of the Lithuanian cal excavations. Gediminas Castle presents the Tel. +370 ~ 5 268 03 16 national liberation, was ap- The Museum is located in the models of reconstructed Vilnius Fax +370 ~ 5 268 03 14 pointed as its director. However, historical centre of Lithuania, the castles of late 16th century and www.lb.lt after Poland occupied Vilnius in buildings of the complex of early 17th century, the weaponry 1919, the work of creating the Vilnius castles. of the time and iconographic Museum was disrupted. From The Old Arsenal contains the material relating to the old 1920 to 1940 the collections of largest archaeological exposition Vilnius. A wonderful panorama The coin was minted at the state enterprise the Museum of Antiquities were in the Baltic region “Prehistoric of Vilnius opens up from the Lithuanian Mint held at Vilnius University. Lithuania”. It presents unique viewing point at the top of the www.lithuanian-mint.lt In 1941 the Lithuanian Acad- Baltic exhibits, Lithuanian cul- tower. emy of Sciences took over all the ture from the time of the first The objectives of the National museum collections in Vilnius. settlers in the territory of the Museum of Lithuania are to fos- Owing to the efforts of Vincas country around 11,000 BC to ter national consciousness of the Þilënas, a well-known museum the formation of the Lithuanian society, ensure preservation of the expert and culture historian, the state in the 13th century. historical heritage of the Lithuanian Collectors Coins structure of the Museum of An- The exposition “Prehistoric Lithuanian state and its public tiquities was recreated on the Lithuania” is in a way extended access. © Lietuvos bankas, 2005 Published by the Bank of Lithuania, Gedimino pr.

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