museum 'sėla' of biržai area

Contacts
Address: J. Radvilos g. 3, LT-41175, Biržai.
Tel.: (+370 ~ 450) 31 883, (+370 ~ 682) 54 617 (Director);
(+370 ~ 450) 33 390, (+370 ~ 655) 57 738 (Public Relations Centre).
Fax (+370 ~ 450) 31 883.
E-mail: bkm_sela@is.lt
Director – Gintaras Butkevičius.

Information for visitor

Opening hours:
October – April:
Wednesday to Saturday 9–17.30.
Sunday 9–16.30.
May – September:
Wednesday to Saturday 10–18.30.
Sunday 10–17.30.

Admission:
adults – 4 Lt;
pupils, students, pensioners, disabled – 2 Lt;
child under 5 – free.

Collection
The museum contains the collections of archaeological finds found during excavations of Birzai Fortress and the Old Town, collections of coins and wooden sculptures (late 19th century – early 20th century), a collection of ancient musical instruments, the works by the local photographer Petras Loceris (1892–1973), collections of Lithuanian textbooks published between the two World Wars and publications printed in the Birzai printing House, documents and publications of the Lithuanian Reformed Church, including the Radvilos’, or the Lithuanian Brasta Bible (1563). According to an agreement with the Reformed Evangelical Church of Lithuania, Biržai Museum became a depository for the Church’s archives. The exhibitions illustrate the history and culture of the Biržai.

Exposition
The expositions of the Museum are formed in accordance with traits of cultural development, specific to this historical region, namely the archaeology of the Selonians, the epoch of dukes Radvila and counts Tiškevicius, the Reformation’s cultural contribution.
Museum visitors can see the only authentic reconstructed late seventeenth-century tile stove found in Lithuania.
The present is reflected by art exhibitions, which are often changed.
The expositions and exhibitions are operating in 25 halls.

Exhibitions
The Museum arranges exhibitions of art and folk art.

Cultural, educational activity
Arrangement of meetings with cultural workers of culture and art;
Arrangement of meetings with countrymen;
Educational activities;
Realization of joint programs together with schools.

Departments
Department of Historical Researches;
Department of Public Relations.
The workers of these departments are engaged in scientific research and organizing of expositional activities.

Branch Museum
Vabalninkas Museum
Address: S. Nėries g. 14, Vabalninkas, LT-41318 Biržų rajonas.
Tel. (+370 ~ 450) 54 252.
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 9–17.
There is an exhibition of famous people of politics, literature and culture of Vabalninkas region. There are two rooms dedicated to Monsignor Kazimieras Vasiliauskas and Minister of Education Konstantinas Šakenis. Also there are interesting ethnographic exhibition and exhibition of things received as a gift.

History of the Museum
The museum was founded in 1928. At present it is located in the 16th-17th century Biržai Castle. The construction of Biržai Castle was begun on the initiative of Kristupas Mikalojus Radvila Perkūnas (1547–1603), Hetman of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
During 70 years the Museum’s structure and premises not once underwent various changes, its funds replenished, diminished and again replenished.
On March 9, 1989 the town of Biržai celebrated the 400-th anniversary of Magdeburg Rights granted to Biržai and since that dates the Museum established in the palace of the Biržai fortress. The construction of the fortress continued from 1575 to 1589 under guidance of Kristupas Mikalojus Radvila Perkūnas (1547-1603), the etmon of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.
The castle was restored in 1988.
In 1999 the Museum was the first in Lithuania to assume the name of land museum. It chose the name of SĖLA in connection with the Selonian land, the history of which the Museum represents.
The Founder of the Museum is the Biržai Municipality.