Opening times
September to May:
Monday to Friday 812; 1317.
June to August:
Monday to Friday 812; 1317,
Saturday, Sunday 1014.
Museum's collection
The permanent exhibition features the local history and the mode of life of Kelme area, the landlord Gruzevskis’ family, and outstanding people of the area. It also contains exhibitions of religious art and folk art of the Kelme area.
Expositions
In the Family Exposition of the Owners of the Estate Gruzevskiai
furniture, plates and dishes, photographs, graphic works, information material about the former owners of the estate are displayed.
In the Exposition of Jonas Vadeikis - German Writer Carl May - American Indians material about the ethnographer and pedagogue Jonas Vadeikis, the first translator of Carl May’s book into Lithuanian, German writer’s Carl May books, various American Indians’ household articles are displayed.
In the Family Life and Folk Art Exposition things and furniture used in household in the 19th beginning of 20th centuries, wooden art articles are displayed.
In the Exposition of the Founder of Union of Riflemen of Lithuania Vl. Putvinskis
Vl. Putvinskis’ photographs, documents, books, personal things are exposed.
The Exposition of Archaeological Investigations and Finds of Kelme Area tells about archaeological excavations and finds in the region.Displays telling about the exile, resistant movement, war period and the history of Catholic Church are shown in the
Exposition of the History of Kelme Area.
The Exposition of Tillage Tools is arranged in a granary. A great variety of working tools can be seen here.
Exhibitions
Art, folk art exhibitions are organized in the museum, various collections etc. presented by collectors are shown.
Cultural,
educational activity
Scientific conferences and seminars “Newest Investigations on the History
of Kelme Region” are organized.
Branch
Museums
Saukenai Ethnographic Museum
Address: Saukenai, Kelme region.
Tel. +370-688-17338.
Head of the museum E. Burduliene.
The exposition telling about the history of the town and famous people
having lived here is arranged.
Uzventis Ethnographic Museum
Address: Girnikai village, LT-86354, Uzventis prefecture, Kelme region.
Tel. +370-674-94270.
Head of the museum Grazina Balciuniene.
In the restored granary of the former Uzventis estate two expositions are
offered:
Writer Marija Peckauskaite-Satrijos Ragana (she lived in this house in
1887-1898);
The owner of Uzventis estate, signatory of the Act of Independence of
Lithuania Jonas Smilgevicius.
Povilas Visinskis’ Memorial Museum
Address: Usnenai village, LT-86356, Uzventis prefecture, Kelme region.
Tel. +370-427-59721.
Head of the museum E. Burduliene.
Two expositions are offered in the museum:
Writer and educator Povilas Visinskis;
Classic of Lithuanian literature Zemaite.
Zalpiai
Local Lore Museum
Address: Zalpiai, LT-86249, Pakrazantis
prefecture, Kelme region.
Tel.: +370-610-21966,
+370-427-49541.
Opening Hours: Everyday when reservations are made ahead of time by phone
Director: Alina Zalandauskienė
Museum founded in 2006
The exhibitions are devoted to the author Jeronimas Ralius (18761921),
who first translated Homers The Iliad and The Odyssey into Lithuania;
Jonas Garalevicius (18711943) an organ player and the initial founder
of gliding in Lithuania; and Kazimieras Ralius (18851958), a member of
the constitutive parliament and social activist.
Other news about the Museum
The first museum in Kelme was opened in 1936 in a house, which once belonged to the Home Guards’ Union. During World War II all of its exhibits disappeared. The Kelme State Museum operated in 1949-1962. Later it became a public museum; its exhibits were taken over by the Kelme Area Museum in 1990.
The museum is located in the Kelme estate ensemble, which dates from the 17th century. A former property of the Gruzevskis family, the estate reflects the main features of the development of Lithuanian estate architecture, construction, and park planning and farming traditions.
Founder of the museum Municipality of Kelme Region.
Director of the museum Danute Zalpiene.
The museum renders methodological support for leaders of ethnographic circles in schools of the region.
Kelme
Kelme, town in the west central Lithuania, 43 km southwest from Siauliai, on the left bank of the Krazante river. The population in 1959 (2,890 in 1923, 3,705 in 1940, of which 2,000 were Jews). A great part of the town was destroyed during World War II. After the war, 700 private and public buildings were erected.
The town has a 175-bed hospital, several secondary schools, music and commerce schools, ethnographic museum, and stadium. On the outskirts of town is a small park and the old estate's hall originally built on the 16th-18th centuries with a gate of baroque style, which was later renovated in the classical style and achieved distinctive architectural merit.
The 1294 chronicles of the Teutonic Order cite a castle named Kymel. In the 15th century this location was a large royal domain. Kelme was a seat of one of the districts of Samogitia.
The first wooden church was built in 1416. It was taken over by Calvinists in 1596. At that time, the Gruzewski family acquired Kelme estate; the estate numbered over 25 villages. In 1610 the Gruzevski issued a decree for inhabitants. They were obliged to attend Protestant services, to christen, marry and bury according to the Protestant faith, and to send their children to Protestant school. When the Roman Catholics regained their church after prolonged court proceedings, in 1615 the Gruzevski family built a new Calvinist church. Kelme grew more rapidly after a highway from Latvia (Riga) to Prussia was built across town during 1836-58. The town was renowned for its great markets and especially its horse fairs.
Under the Republic of Lithuania (1918-40), Kelme had several industrial plants and cultural institutions, including a Jewish high school, which prepared students for the rabbinical vocation. There were also a home for the aged and an orphanage run by the sisters of St. Catherine. The grave of Vladas Putvinskis, founder of Sauliu Sajunga is in the cemetery of
Kelme.
Address