Address
Vytauto g. 30, Kupiskis, LT-40115.
Tel.: +370 459 35 439.
E-mail:
kupmuziejus@mail.lt
Director – Violeta Alekniene
Information
for visitors
Opening times:
I–V 8.00–12.00, 13.00–17.00.
Admission - free.
Additional services
Reservation of excursions;
Consulting of students and pupils.
Museum's collection
The collection of the Museum contains exhibits of
archaeology, household and ethnography, art, photography, letters,
numismatics.
Exhibitions
The Museum has two halls for exhibitions of professional art
(sculpture, painting, drawing), folk art of all genres, photography,
printings, collectors’ works of art.
Cultural, educational activity
Report making;
Lecture delivering;
Arrangement of meetings with the authors of exhibitions;
Giving of lessons for pupils.
Branch Museums
-
The
Museum of Adomas Petrauskas
Address: Uoginiai Village,
LT-40428, Kupiskis Region.
Tel. +370-459-46210.
Opening hours: Wednesday to Sunday 10.00-14.00.
Admission - free.
Adomas Petrauskas dedicated all his life to collecting objects of
ethnography and history. In 1969 he opened the doors of his museum to
the first visitor. Former exposition featured objects of ethnography
and archaeological findings. Presently Museum of Adomas Petrauskas
includes the complex of buildings with numerous showpieces.
The village Uoginiai is one of the oldest settlements in the
district of Kupiskis.
-
The Picture
Gallery of the Painter Veronika Sleivyte
Address: Viktariskes
Village, LT-40426, Kupiskis Region.
Tel. +370-459-46406.
Opening hours: Wednesday to Sunday 10.00-14.00.
Admission - free.
Gallery features paintings of artist Veronika Sleivyte
and introduces her work and life in Kaunas. The domestic home
setting of the artisan, characteristic to this region, is recreated for
exhibition in the former home of her parents.
Artist Veronika Sleivyte
was born December 6, 1906 in Antasava
small town of Kupiskis
district. She graduated Kaunas art school of further education in
1934. The numerous works of this artist are scattered around the
country, but majority is concentrated in the gallery of Viktariskes.
Gallery is open since September 2, 1985.
-
The
Museum of Laukminiskes Village
Address: Laukminiskes
Village, LT-40100, Kupiskis Region.
Tel. +370-612-56966.
Opening hours: Wednesday to Friday 10.00-14.00.
Sunday 9.00-14.00.
December 24, 2002, next to Kupiskis bay,
in Laukminiskes village the museum was opened in
the family house of writer Petras Babickas and actress Une
Babickaite. Ethnographic exposition presents
19th-20th century domestic life, mores and traditions of peasants of
near-by villages.
Exposition commemorating Une
Babickaite and Petras Babickas introduces their
lives and works. Also colonel of Lithuanian army Kazys Babickas and
teacher, educated as military – Vytautas
Babickas were born in this house.
Public Museums
History of Museum's establishment
The museum dates back to 1943. The first exhibits came from the
collections of the ethnographers Stefanija Glemzaite (1885-1974) and
Mikalina Glemzaite (1891-1985) as well as collections belonging to other
Kupiskis area intellectuals.
The museum started its activities in 1943. The first director was Povilas
Spudas.
At the end of war the museum was named the Museum of Ethnography, but soon
its exhibits were thrown into street and the Museum was closed.
In 1961 the Kupiskis secondary school arranged a big ethnographic
exhibition of the sisters Stefanija and Mikalina Glemzaite.
After it, the Ministry of Culture purchased many exhibits and they became
the first exhibits of the Kupiskis museum.
In 1962 the filial of the Ausra Museum of History and Ethnography in
Siauliai was established in the House of Culture of Kupiskis, the previous
synagogue.
In 1984 the present museum opened its door after moving into the building
of a former parish school constructed in 1823.
In 1989 the museum was named the Museum of Ethnography.
In 1996 the Museum of Ethnography in Kupiskis became an independent museum
subordinated to the district municipality.
Other news about the Museum
The founder of the Museum is the Kupiskis Municipality.
Kupiskis
Kupiskis is a small town in northeastern Lithuania, 40 km Northeast of
Panevezys. The town is situated between the Levuo River and its left
tributary, the Kupa, after which the town is named. It is the center of
the district municipal administration. It is also a cultural and
industrial center of local significance.
The archaeological findings provide evidence that even in the 3rd and 2nd
centuries BC people dwelt in the surroundings of Kupiskis. However, there
is no information on when the very settlement was founded. The findings
around the mound show that in the 8th century AD a wooden defense castle
loomed there.
Kupiskis, as town of Zygimantas the elder, the ruler of Lithuania, was
first mentioned in historical sources in 1529.
In 1561-1565, it was the center of a small rural district and belonged to
Upyte and later - to Ukmerge districts.
In the early centuries, Kupiskis region peasants shared the glories of
growing the best marketable flax with Rokiskis peasants. Kupiskis was the
center of trading in flax. The first existing stone building of the town -
flax warehouse, built in the first half of the 18th century evidences
this.
In 1616, the first Catholic Church was built in Kupiskis. In 1781, the
first school of Lankasteriai family was established.
Fires several times devastated Kupiskis. However, the railway line
Daugavpils-Siauliai-Liepaja, built in 1873, contributed to its revival and
it was slowly growing despite of wars and occupations.
The people of Kupiskis and its vicinity are renowned for preserving
traditional ways of building houses and granaries and for their regional
costumes, which were made at home almost until the beginning of World War
II. They have also retained the traditional folk songs called sutartines
(choral rounds) and old wedding and work customs. In 1932 an old
fashioned wedding was enacted as a play. After this example many folk
ensembles included these plays in their repertoire.
Photographs of Juozas Kraujunas
