Cultural institutions in Kaunas and Lithuania are closed for visitors at the moment due to state-wide quarantine; many of them have adapted to the situation and have started offering various virtual experiences. Kaunas City Museum has launched a 3D tour of Kaunas Town Hall, the institution’s central department. Virtual visitors can explore exhibition halls and spaces usually used by the staff and therefore unknown for the public eye.
The first exhibition by Kaunas City Museum in the Town Hall was opened a little more than five years ago when the historical building officially became one of its five departments. It’s home to the museum’s archaeological collections; a former jail cell in the tower, the mayor’s office and basement vaults also present the everyday life of Kaunas decades and hundreds of years ago. Since 2018, it’s also possible to visit the town halls’ tower – years before that, only the clock supervisor was able to climb up the narrow and very tight staircase.
The bulding is nicknamed as the White Swan. Photo by Kaunas City Museum
Kaunas IN tourism information centre is also located in the Town Hall!
The White Hall of he building is frequented by those getting married. Would you like to tie the knot here?
A thorough renovation of exhibition spaces at the most important building in the Old Town of Kaunas should start in the nearest future – it’s necessary to adapt it to the contemporary museum needs and use the building’s potential to the fullest. The Town Hall underwent many changes during its hundreds of years of history. The last significant changes, led by architect Žybartas Simonaitis, happened in 1973, which is almost fifty years ago. But before the builders start their work, the museum invites everyone to explore the Kaunas Town Hall in a 3D tour and witness its spaces as they are today. All of the doors that are usually closed for visitors are open in the tour; in fact, many of the premises have already been cleared of desks and shelves, so it’s possible to thoroughly explore their interior.
