Address
Sodo g. 5, LT-96136, Gargždai, Klaipėda district.
Tel. +370-670-37145.
Tel./fax. +370-46-452214.
E-mail:
gargzdu.muziejus@gmail.com
Information for visitors
Opening hours:
Tuesday – Friday 9.00–18.00.;
Saturday 11.00–18.00.
Supplement services
The museum offers visitors and pupils various excursions and
events. It is also proposed to arrange thematic outgoings throughout
Gargždai and Klaipėda district.
The museum purveys information concerning history and ethnography of
Gargždai and its surroundings.
It is also possible to arrange the exhibitions of paintings, etc.
Collections of museum
The museum possesses different archeological, historical,
ethnographical collections and collects exhibits of painting and
iconography.
Exposition
Historical
sources of Gargždai
Historical sources mention Gargždai town as the eldest
settlement in Lithuania. More than 750 years foils nowadays Gargždai from
the first reference of it. This circumstance allowed the town to gain
various functions, such as custom-town, trade-town, the town of noblemen’s
estate, the center of parish as also the town of so called Jewish „Shtetle“
(the concept describes towns with huge Jewish minority or settlements with
Jewish majority). All the mentioned functions are reflected by the
sources.
Since the 16th century the sources mention the estate of Gargždai more
often. The fluctuation of the town communities is likewise reflected.
Among the possessors of the town history sources recite Kęsgaila, Vaina,
Radvila, Sapiega and Oginsky – the members of respected houses in the
Grand Dutchy of Lithuania. Even Sigismund Augustus, the King of Poland and
the Grand Duke of Lihuania, his mother Bona Sforca and his sister Ana
Jagielo are introduced as the proprietors of Gargždai estate. At the end
of the18th century, as the Lithuanian State fell, the estate of Gargždai
became the property of German house of Igelstrom and Rönne. The switchover
of the possessors, together with the privileges concerning farming lands,
can also be found among other information presented by the historical
sources.
„Miscellaneous community“ is probably the best description that is
suitable to residence of Gargždai. It also reflects the everyday life of
the inhabitance. The estate community, town-dwellers, peasants and
different religious communities are just few examples that lived in
concord for a long time. Namely the relationship among these communities
determined different instructions concerning the residence co-existence.
The instructions for the town and the surroundings of 1629 could be
pointed as an example. These had defined the rights and the duties of the
citizenry. The document in 1590 mentions the foundation of Catholic Church
in Gargždai made by Ann Jagielo. It obliged citizenry to sponsor the
church. The accessible information shows even, that sometimes the
possessors of the estate needed no incentive and supported the church by
generous foundations.
The percentage of the community of the Jews remarkably grew up at the 18th
century. It was deliberately stimulated by varied privileges and
allowances. Among these the privilege of Vladislav Vasa of the year 1639
is worth to mention. It had set the parallel between the rights of the
Jewish community to those of the rest of the residence. The important
circumstance was likewise that the town has possessed the status of the
custom-town. The privileges of the years 1600 and 1782 had improved the
economical position not only for the Jews, but also for the rest of the
residence. Both privileges had set the number of the marketing days that
made Gargždai so popular in the district, especially among the artisans.
They were able to sell their production – the agricultural goods as well
as crafts ware. Two important historical sources are also worth mentioning
in this context: the inventory of Gargždai and the Income-book of the
Salantai estate for the year 1765–1795. They both reflect various
professions of the craftsmen at the 17th – 18th centuries.
As
it was already mentioned, the sources of the history of the Church are
also really informative sources. Their spectrum is very wide – starting
with the king’s privileges and ending with the day-to-day correspondence
among the clergy. All the other profiles of the documentary of the church
are also informative. Various documents, letters of the monks, testaments
and inventory represent the church existence. The catholic community of
Gargždai is the eldest in the diocese of Telšiai. Thus the riches of the
historical sources make no wonder. The church fulfilled various functions
– it was not only the spiritual center, but also a place to solve many
public questions. These questions were later documented and archived.
Not less informative courses are photographs, maps, street-plans,
architectural heritage etc. Although the collection that is in the museum
can present only the general situation of Gargždai-history. A lot of
historical issues are still left to be considered. The huge amount of
documentary is lost during fires or wars.
Subdivisions
-
Agluonėnai Ethnographic Farmstead
Address: Aukštųjų st. 5A, Agluonėnai,
LT-96251, Klaipėda district (administration).
Tel.: +370 46 44 20 94, +370 657 76 645 (manager), +370 622) 61
165, +370 696 02 100.
E-mail:
juratepa@gmail.com
-
Museum of freedom wars and deportations
Address: Klaipėdos g. 29, Priekulė.
Tel. +370-46-454071.
-
Ieva Simonaityte Museum
Address: 11 Vingio St, Priekule LT-96340, Klaipeda region.
Tel. +370-46-454247.
E-mail:
laimal@omni.lt
Other news about the museum
The museum was founded in 22 December, 2005.
The founder of the museum – Municipality of Klaipėda district.
Head of the museum Giedrė Mogilaitė.
