gargždai area Museum

Contacts
Address: Sodo g. 5, LT-96136, Gargždai, Klaipėdos rajonas.
Mob. tel. +370 670 37 145.
Tel./fax. (+370 ~ 46) 45 22 14.
E-mail: gargzdu.muziejus@gmail.com
http://www.gargzdumuziejus.lt/
Director – Sigita Bučnytė.
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Information for Visitor

Opening hours:
Tuesday – Friday 9–18;
Saturday 11–18.

Additional 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.

Collection
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 Lithuania, 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.

Branch Museums

Agluonėnai Ethnographic Farmstead
Address: Aukštųjų g. 5A, Agluonėnai, LT-96251, Klaipėdos rajonas.
Tel. (+370 ~ 46) 44 20 94.
Mob. tel.: +370 657 76 645, +370 622 61 165, +370 696 02 100.
E-mail: agluonenu.sodyba[at]gmail.com
More information >

Museum of freedom wars and deportations
Address: Klaipėdos g. 29, Priekulė.
Tel. (+370 ~ 46) 45 40 71.

Ieva Simonaitytė Museum
Address: Vingio g. 11, Priekulė, LT-96340 Klaipėdos rajonas.
Tel. (+370 ~ 46) 45 42 47.
More information >

J. Gižas Ethnographic Farmstead-Museum
Address: Žvejų g. 13, Dreverna, LT-96240 Klaipėdos rajonas.

Other news
The museum was founded in 22 December, 2005.
The founder of the museum – Municipality of Klaipėda district.