Memorial exhibition of Professors M. V. V. Biržiška

Contacts
Address: Bažnyčios g. 6, LT-89094, Viekšniai, Mažeikių rajonas.
Tel. (+370 ~ 443) 37 420.
E-mail: mazeikiumuziejus[at]kli.lt
Head of the Museum – Danutė Končienė.

Information for Visitor

Opening hours:
Monday to Friday 10–17.

Admissiom:
adults – 2 Lt;
children – 1 Lt.

Guided tours:
adults – 15 Lt;
children – 10 Lt.
Visitors wishing to familiarise themselves with the exhibition should contact Viekšniai Pharmacy Museum. Tours should preferably be booked by phone in advance.

Collection
The museum collection consists of furniture, books, documents and pictures of the Biržiška family.

Expositions
Residential building
The house of the family of well-known Professors Mykolas, Vaclovas and Viktoras Biržiška, three brothers who did a lot for the benefit of Lithuania, has been rebuilt on the old foundations of the house, leaving part of the original materials according to an available plan of the old house.
The building currently houses a town library and the memorial exhibition of Professors M. V. V. Biržiška.

Dr. Antanas Biržiška’s family exhibition
Here one can familiarise oneself with the life of the family of the professors’ parents, Dr. Antanas Biržiška and his wife, musician and educator Elžbieta Biržiškienė, see the doctor’s desk and armchair, books, family photos, family coat of arms and genealogical tree.
The exhibition has been opened in the former office of Dr. Antanas Biržiška where he handled his patients.

Exhibition of Professors M. V. V. Biržiška
This exhibition is dedicated to the life, activities and creative work of all three brothers, the sons of Antanas and Elžbieta, as well as their work for the benefit of Lithuania.
Documents, photos and books stored here tell about the three professors, lecturers of Kaunas Vytautas Magnus University and Vilnius University:
Mykolas Biržiška, a literary historian, folklore researcher and February 16 Act signatory;
Vaclovas Biržiška, a bibliographer, cultural historian, the author of the Lithuanian Encyclopaedia and a collection of Lithuanian writers’ biographies entitled Aleksandrynas;
Viktoras Biržiška, an engineer, mathematician and the author of many textbooks for higher education institutions.
The exhibition has been opened in the former room of Biržiška family’s babysitter and the doctor’s assistant.

Fragments of history
The disassembly of the old house was started in 2005. Construction work was completed and the town library was transferred there in 2008. The official opening of the Biržiška exhibition took place in 2009.

Memorial sites
A monument to the Biržiška family created by sculptor Č. Pečiukas stands in the centre of the town.
One can visit the grave of Prof. Biržiška’s parents in the old Viekšniai cemetery and Health House, a nearby medical establishment built by Mykolas Biržiška in honour of his father. 

Photo by Danutė Končienė