Kaunas' 9th Fort Museum

Contacts
Address: Žemaičių pl. 73, LT-47435, Kaunas.
Tel.: (+370 ~ 37) 37 77 50, (+370 ~ 37) 37 77 48.
Tel./fax (+370 ~ 37) 37 77 15.
E-mail: jurate.zakaite[at]9fortomuziejus.lt
http://www.9fortomuziejus.lt/
Director – Jūratė Zakaitė.
  

Information for Visitor

Opening hours:
1 April – 31 October:
Monday, Wednesday – Sunday 10–18.
1 November – 31 March:
Wednesday – Sunday 10–16.

Admission:
adults – 2,30 €;
pupils, students, pensioners – 1,40 €.
child under 7 – free.

Additional services:
Reception of excursions.
The Museum's guides work in Lithuanian, English, German and Russian languages 2,80–5,70 €.

Collection
The museum contains collections of genocide and holocaust, executed during Soviet's and Hitler's occupation, also are accumulated and protected historic materials of Kaunas strong hold and 9th Fort.

Expositions

Expositions in the New Museum
Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact (1939) and annexation of Lithuania (1940);
Soviet terror and deportation of Lithuanians to Soviet camps and Siberia;
German occupation 1941–1944;
Lithuanian intelligentsia in Stuthof concentration camp in 1943;
Activity of Lithuanian Freedom Fighters' Union in the camps and in Lithuania during the 2nd Soviet occupation;
Romas Kalanta – a herald of Freedom;
Lithuanian military officers in Norilsk (Russia) camps.

Expositions in the Old Museum of 9th Fort
Kaunas' Stronghold and 9th Fort (end of 19th – early 20th centuries);
World War I (1914–1918);
9th Fort – Kaunas Hard Labour Prison Division during 1924–1940;
French Jews killed at 9th Fort in 1944;
Massacre of Jewish people in Lithuania in 1941–1944;
Prison-breaking of 64 prisoners from 9th Fort;
The Ghetto of Kaunas in 1941–1944;
Lithuanians – the rescuers of Jewish people;
Chiune Sugihara – Japanese Consul, Jewish people rescuer.

Dungeon and defense wall
9th Fort dungeon and defense wall is a separate itinerary of an excursion. It is about 1 km long. There are exposed guns and ammunition of 1st and 2nd World Wars. It is shown well of drinking water and ammunition depots.

Exhibitions
Exhibitions prepared at the museum are fixed to particulars of various persons, commemorating historical dates in themes of mourning and holocaust.

Cultural, educational activity
Students' meetings with former political prisoners, exiles;
Cognition excursions about Lithuania's past to students;
Cognition excursions about Kaunas' regional history, to students;
Cognition excursions to students about First and Second World Wars and armament existence.

Kaunas 9th Fort
9th Fort is a Stronghold in the northwest section of Kaunas, with capacity of defensive in strengthening. 
At the end of 19 century Kaunas was created the 1st class Stronghold, in 1890 it was encircled by eight forts, nine batteries (groups of guns, men and equipment) and a centralized fortification lineup.
The construction of 9th Fort began in 1902, its construction of 9th was completed of the eve of First World War.
From 1924 this Fort was Kaunas' prison branch, house of corrections, with 100 hectares of auxiliary farm land, contained an orchard planted by prisoners.
During First Soviet occupation years (1940–1941) 9th Fort became a prison of NKVD, from which political prisoners were sent to Soviet camps.
During year of Nazi occupation, 9th Fort became the area of mass murders.
After Second World War Soviets used 9th Fort as a prison for several years.
From 1948 to 1958 farm organizations established in 9th Fort, then main object was to destroy the fort's architectural objects.

History of the Museums
In 1958 in Kaunas' 9th Fort was established a museum with republic's significance.
In 1959 a first exposition was prepared in four cells, about Hitlerite occupants' crimes carried out throughout Lithuania.
In 1960 investigations began about area of mass murders, attempting to ascertain foundries of the mass murders area, to collect exponents of those events in those areas.
A second exposition was set up in 1965, with several historical periods of 9th Fort.
A museum with metal gates and with original style of the Fort buildings was built next to ancient 9th Fort.
In 1984 expositions were set up in the new Museum.
In 1988 museum workers of 9th Fort began to reorganize works of expositions.
A part of the ancient museum has been restored.
A monument to commemorate the victims of Nazism was erected in 1984. A memorial for the more than 30 thousands Jews murdered in the Ninth Fort during the years of the Nazi occupation was unveiled in 1991.
Museum's establisher – Lithuanian Republic's Ministry of Culture.