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Kupiškis
Ethnographic Museum
Contacts
Address: Gedimino g. 2, LT-40109, Kupiškis.
Tel. (+370 ~ 459) 35 439.
E-mail: etnografijos.muziejus[at]gmail.com
http://etnografijosmuziejus.lt
Director: Violeta Aleknienė.
Opening hours:
Monday 9–17,
Tuesday – Friday 9–18,
Saturday 10–18.
Collection
The collection of the Museum contains exhibits of archaeology, household and
ethnography, art, photography, letters, numismatics.
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: Uoginių kaimas, LT-40428, Kupiškio
rajonas.
Mob. tel. (+370 ~ 610) 01 465.
Opening hours: Tuesday – Sunday 8–17.
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
Kupiškis.
The Picture Gallery of the
Painter Veronika Šleivytė
Address: Viktariškių kaimas, LT-40426,
Kupiškio rajonas.
Tel. (+370 ~ 459) 46 439, mob. tel.(+370 617) 75 220.
Opening hours: Tuesday – Sunday 10–14.
Admission – free.
Gallery features paintings of artist Veronika Šleivytė 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 Šleivytė was born December 6, 1906 in Antašava small town of
Kupiškis 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 Viktariškės.
Gallery is open since September 2, 1985.
The
Museum of Laukminiškės Village
Address: Laukminiškių kaimas, LT-40100,
Kupiškio rajonas.
Mob. tel. (+370 ~ 612) 56 966.
Opening hours: 1st October – 1st May: Tuesday, Wednesday 8–17; Thursday
8–12. 1st May – 1st October
Wednesday 13–17; Thursday, Friday 9–13; Saturday 9–17.
December 24, 2002, next to Kupiškis bay, in Laukminiškės village the museum
was opened in the family house of writer Petras Babickas and actress Unė
Babickaitė. Ethnographic exposition presents 19th-20th century domestic
life, mores and traditions of peasants of near-by villages.
Exposition commemorating Unė Babickaitė 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
The Professor Povilas Matulionis Museum
Address: P. Matulionio g. 18, LT-40112,
Kupiškis.
Tel. (+370 ~ 459) 54 422.
More information >
Museum of Academician Juozas Matulis
Address: Naivių kaimas, LT-40302,
Kupiškio rajonas.
Tel. (+370 ~ 459) 42 529.
More information >
History of the Museum
The museum dates back to 1943. The first exhibits came from the collections
of the ethnographers Stefanija Glemžaitė (1885–1974) and Mikalina Glemžaitė
(1891–1985) as well as collections belonging to other Kupiškis 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 Kupiškis secondary school arranged a big ethnographic exhibition
of the sisters Stefanija and Mikalina Glemzaitė. After it, the Ministry of
Culture purchased many exhibits and they became the first exhibits of the
Kupiškis museum.
In 1962 the filial of the Aušra Museum of History and Ethnography in
Šiauliai was established in the House of Culture of Kupiškis, 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 Kupiškis became an independent museum
subordinated to the district municipality.
The founder of the Museum is the Kupiškis Municipality.
Kupiškis
Kupiškis is a small town in northeastern Lithuania, 40 km Northeast of
Panevėžys. The town is situated between the Lėvuo 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 Kupiškis. 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.
Kupiškis, as town of Žygimantas 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
Upytė and later - to Ukmergė districts.
In the early centuries, Kupiškis region peasants shared the glories of
growing the best marketable flax with Rokiškis peasants. Kupiškis 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 Kupiškis. In 1781, the first
school of Lankasteriai family was established.
Fires several times devastated Kupiškis. 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 Kupiškis 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 sutartinės
(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.
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