Pedagogical Museum

Contacts
Address: Vytauto pr. 52, LT-44237 Kaunas.
Tel. (+370 ~ 37) 20 62 10.
Tel./ fax (+370 ~ 37) 20 79 36.
E-mail: administracija[at]lsim.lt, muziejininkai[at]lsim.lt
http://www.lsim.lt
Director – Živilė Jakaitė.

Information for Visitor

Opening hours:
Monday to Thursday 9.00–16.30.;
Friday 9.00–15.30.

Admission:
adults – 3 Lt;
children (under 16) – 2 Lt.

Guided tours:
charge – 15 Lt.

Additional services
Reservation of excursions;
Organizing of cultural events in the hall of the Museum.

Collection
The collections accumulated by the museum reflect the history of education in Lithuania: the first school mentioned in 1397 book of Vilnius Cathedral, and other schools opened in Lithuania after the introduction of Christianity, parish schools and colleges of 17th–18th centuries, education under the tsarist regime, the system of education in the Republic of Lithuania, its development in the period between the two world wars, and the Soviet system of education. The collections include teaching materials, educational periodicals, and the personal libraries of well-known teachers and academicians.

Exposition

Of ancient times to out times
Exposition introduces development of education in Lithuania from the beginning of state creation in the 13th century until 1990. It is intended to show how unique Lithuanian school development was and empathizing at the same time that it developed on the same groundwork as Christian Europe. At three exposition halls side by side of pedagogical history it is explained historic changing methods of exhibiting museum values. There can be found traditional show-cases, models of school illustrations, interactive furniture, original image projections, some of the exhibits can be touched by visitors. At each of the hall, devoted to different stages of school development, by special equipment it can be felt the atmosphere of that period.

At the hall of the oldest period (13th – 19th centuries) there is shown the way of Christian Europe education spreading in Lithuania, emphasizing at the same time what influence Order of the Jesuits, the Reformation, and the University of Vilnius had on it.
Also there is shown how czarist Russian in the 19th century tried to transform school into Lithuanian russification tool and activity of one of the first Lithuanian school fosters M. Valančius and S. Daukantas. Great importance is attached to secret school as a manifestation of national revival.
There are presented 60 authentic exhibits: Lithuanian literature of 18th-19th centuries, manuals, exercise books, school hand bell, inkpots and more school accessories; model of secret school.

In the exposition hall “Education in Lithuania in 1904-1940” there are exhibited documents, photographs, statute of first educational associations, rare manuals of national school foundation in early 20th century.
In independent Lithuania (1918–1940) there were created and was operating democratic educational system. Each of its element (pre-school, elementary, secondary, university education) present different stands of exhibition. Visitors can be attracted by rich collection of educational means of that period. An interesting accent of exposition is model of classroom of primary school. There are exhibited more than 300 objects in exposition hall.

In the exposition hall granted to education development of Lithuanian and emigrants in 1940–1990 there are presented school history of scattered Lithuanian nation by political events of mid-20th century, authentic Soviet educational system documents, politically ideological educational literature, items of schoolchildren (exercise books, certificates, bags, uniforms and many more), educational measures of different subjects, personal belongings of exiled teachers and schoolchildren, certificates of education in exile, Lithuanian press of underground work in period of 50s–90s. Education of emigrants is presented by photographs and documentary material, manuals, periodical press, objects of children school Montessori in Chicago. Original exhibits (360 units) and review material are presented in non-traditional way.

Exhibitions
The Museum organizes exhibitions on topics of history of education, modern education, about famous Lithuanian teachers, Lithuanian and foreign schools, as well as exhibitions of pupils’ and teachers’ creative works.

Cultural, educational activity
The workers of the Museum take part in international conferences and seminars, radio and TV broadcasts, they deliver lectures, publish articles, realize the educational program “Native Land” to the aim of pupils’ fostering as citizens, arrange afternoons “The live school”.

Virtual Gallery
The Pedagogical Museum has introduced an informative virtual gallery to the visitors of the Museum. The aim of the authors of this gallery (Jūratė Jagminienė and Gabija Mackevičiūtė) was to perpetuate the heritage of the history of education and culture and also to present historical facts to today’s society using sophisticated information technologies. The visitors of the Museum can not only admire the exhibits of the exposition on the history of Lithuanian education, but also learn interesting facts while browsing the virtual gallery.

History of the museum
Pedagogical museum, which is one of the oldest museums of the independent Lithuania, was established in 1922 by Kaunas local government. Initiator and head of the museum for many years was Vincas Ruzgas (1890–1972), who was pedagogue, author of manuals, and public man.
During the World War II the museum was closed.
In 1958 the museum was named as Republican Pedagogical Museum and its exhibits for the visitors were accessible again. In 1980 it was opened an exposition which examined development of education in Lithuania. In 2002 when the founder of the museum was substituted the museum was renamed as Pedagogical Museum of Kaunas County.
In 2010 rights and duties of museum's founder were transferred to the Ministry of Culture.

Photos from archive of the museum