Culture

Vilnius is a culture city. Many artists live and work here; many varied culture institutions offer a chance to see traditional art or listen to the music of the local and guest performers. There are a lot of museums in the Old Town with interesting original and quality displays. Vilnius history and culture dates from the Stone Age to the present, which you will meet in the Lithuanian National Museum. The remains of a portion of the 16th century fortification is also a museum - Artillery Bastion, which tells about the colorful history of the town and about the city's defense system. The branches of the Lithuanian Art Museum have been established in former nobles' palaces, so they are always attractive and interesting. Some of the museums in Vilnius display exhibit not only from Lithuania but foreign countries as well. After the opening of the large Baroque applied art and paintings exhibitions, Vilnius Picture Gallery of the Lithuanian Art Museum feature Baroque music concerts that totally restore old time's atmosphere.

What could be more pleasant than a visit to the Vilnius Opera and Ballet Theatre? With a well-known international repertoire the theatre performs interesting productions featuring famous international and local artists. Excellent for its acoustics, the National Philharmonic invites you to enjoy a wide variety of the classics. This is the home of the Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, which frequently stars world famous soloists, like Menuhin, Rostropovich and international orchestras. The Lithuanian State Symphony orchestra and the Lithuanian National Symphonic Orchestra are not only famous in Lithuania but also abroad.Don't miss the traditional organ concerts in many churches, which fill the air with a rich sound for the heart.

Many drama theatres are venues for excitement in the town. Our Youth Theatre performs a repertoire of modern productions by the world famous director Eimuntas Nekrosius. Other countries experimental groups perform regularly in Vilnius, too.

If you are interested in modern art, you'll find more than 20 galleries in the Old Town. Galleries offer a rich selection of traditional and Avant-garde painting, sculpture and mixed media. You'll find many fine pieces of unique jewelry and local art forms as well. Young artists love to make installations in courtyards of the Old Town.

If you would like to feel a shiver of the recent past you must visit the KGB museum. In the basement cells thousands of Lithuanians were interrogated and tortured before being killed or deported to Siberia. The on-location visual walkabout story will be truthful and chilling, because the guides are former inmates.