Published: 20250502
The Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania continues its professional and educational training program for Ukrainian museum specialists. The training program focuses on preparing colleagues to work in post-war conditions, on adopting innovative approaches to exhibition organization, and on enhancing the qualifications of Ukrainian museum professionals. The initial training sessions in Vilnius and across various Lithuanian regions were attended by directors and deputy directors of the two largest museums in Lviv – the Lviv National Art Gallery named after Borys Voznytskyi and the Lviv Historical Museum. The content of the first training session was developed by the director of the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania, Dr. Vydas Dolinskas, and Marijus Uzorka, acting deputy director general. The Ukrainian colleagues were introduced to regional museums in Lithuania, their permanent exhibitions and displays, modern forms of museum activities, and engaged in discussions with museum professionals.
Taking advantage of the occasion of the Ukrainian museum specialists visiting the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania – where an exhibition dedicated to the history and heritage of the Pidhirtsi residence in Ukraine was opening – a professional training session was held in Lithuania. Over three days, the heads and deputy heads of the Lviv National Art Gallery and the Lviv Historical Museum – Taras Vozniak, Oksana Darmoriz, Dr. Roman Chmelyk, and Halyna Skoropadova – visited museums in various Lithuanian regions, along with other cultural institutions and heritage sites. A key aspect of the visit was the mutual exchange of experience: Lithuanian professionals shared the latest practices in heritage building restoration, exhibition installation, and curatorial methods, while Ukrainian museum specialists advised Lithuanian colleagues on how to act in times of war or other threats.
Since many branches of the Lviv museums are located in 16th–17th century castles and palaces, the Lithuanian architectural and cultural heritage from these eras (castles, churches, monasteries) was of particular relevance to the Ukrainian visitors. Special attention was given to restoration practices, reconstruction experience, and modern opportunities for adapting historical buildings for comprehensive cultural use.
In Jonava, at Skaruliai Church, they learned about the restoration of a unique ensemble of 17th-century sculptures. The group met and held discussions with Marytė Stanevičienė, founder of the Skaruliai Community Association. At the Kėdainiai Regional Museum and the Calvinist Church, they explored the activity of the Evangelical Reformed Church in Lithuania, the restoration of the historical building, the Radziwiłł family crypt, and its reconstruction concept. After visiting Kėdainiai Old Town, they discussed issues relevant to both countries with museum professionals – Regina Adomaitienė and collections curator Rita Vertelienė – focusing on history and heritage preservation.
The Ukrainian museum specialists showed particular interest in the Panemunė Castle and Museum of the Vilnius Academy of Arts – especially in the restoration methodology chosen, funding strategies, exhibitions, and student training programs. They actively asked questions and documented their visit. A meaningful exchange of best practices and threat management consultations was held with the head of the castle, Dr. Marius Daraškevičius. Later, the group visited the Šiluva Basilica and Chapel, as well as the museum at the information center. In the nearby Tytuvėnai Ensemble and Museum, they were especially interested in the restoration of the monastery and arcaded courtyard, the methods for moisture control in the church walls, and the activities of the Tytuvėnai Pilgrimage Center. They were also introduced to the Šiauliai Cathedral and the Smilgiai Church, which features a preserved ensemble of Late Baroque altars. The ornate, mannerist forms of the Smilgiai altars were reminiscent of the traditions of Johann Georg Pinsel, who flourished around Lviv during that time. Special attention was given to the subtleties of wooden sculpture restoration, and they met with parish priest Fr. Eugenijus Staleronka.
One example of how museum professionals are gradually restoring destroyed cultural heritage was presented at the Oginskiai Cultural History Museum in Rietavas. The guests were introduced to iconography and documentation related to the destroyed Oginskiai Palace, and also visited the Oginskiai-founded Rietavas Church, holding discussions with museum director Vytas Rutkauskas and parish priest Narsutis Petrikas.
Museums in Samogitia and Western Lithuania, which have deep traditions and recently renewed their permanent exhibitions, were of interest to the Ukrainian guests as examples of successful traditional museum revitalization. The Lviv museum professionals carefully observed how souvenir shops and cafés operate, the support infrastructure of museums, and how park maintenance is organized. Experience was shared by Dr. Sigita Baužaitė-Talačkienė, director of the Palanga Amber Museum, and Skaistė Marčienė, director of the Pranas Domšaitis Gallery in Klaipėda.
In Plungė, director of the Samogitian Art Museum Robertas Šimkus introduced his Ukrainian colleagues to the Oginskiai residence, park management, and the adaptation of stables and carriage houses for cultural purposes. The group visited both permanent and temporary exhibitions (such as the long-term deposit from the M. K. Čiurlionis National Museum of Art and the V. Žukas collections) and took interest in interior restoration methods.
The Samogitian Museum “Alka” in Telšiai – one of the most recently renovated museums in Lithuania – served as a key site to learn about modern exhibition setups, technical and design solutions, and main content highlights. These developments and their challenges were discussed with museum director Eva Stonkevičienė. They also explored the organization of cultural activities at the Telšiai Yeshiva Museum, discussing its restoration funding and the operational model in place.
At the Klaipėda Clock Museum, the guests examined local visitors' reactions to a historical painting exhibition from the Lviv National Art Gallery, as well as the educational themes offered and events held in the museum courtyard. The museum’s cultural activities coordinator Giedrūda Kazonienė introduced the core principles and distinguishing features of their work.
At the Klaipėda Castle Museum, the restoration and adaptation of the castle, a WWII-themed exhibition, and innovative solutions used in other permanent displays on the history of the port city drew particular attention. Roman Chmelyk, head of the Lviv Historical Museum, and Dr. Jonas Genys, director of the Museum of the History of Lithuania Minor, agreed to draft a long-term cooperation agreement. As a possible joint project, the Ukrainians proposed exhibiting the panoramic painting The Battle of Grunwald (1910) by Tadeusz Popiel and Zygmunt Rozwadowski – measuring approximately 5 × 10 meters – in the casemates of the Klaipėda Castle.
A meeting was also held with Vitalija Teresė Jonušienė, founder and long-time head of the Thomas Mann Cultural Center in Nida, and Narūnas Lendraitis, Deputy Mayor of Neringa. The Thomas Mann Festival is well-known both in Lithuania and internationally. Its organization and longstanding international partnerships intrigued the guests as another form of cultural institution activity. Discussions also covered the center’s past and present connections with the Kaliningrad region.
Representatives of the Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania and the Lviv Historical Museum agreed to develop a panel exhibition showcasing the historical ties between Lithuania and Ukraine, as well as the history, heritage, and restoration practices of the Palace of the Grand Dukes. The Lviv Historical Museum leadership suggested the exhibition could later tour other Ukrainian museums – as a testament to Lithuania’s support for a nation at war.
The educational and training program for Ukrainian museum professionals – Innovative and Inclusive Exhibition Design and Other Museum Qualification Development – initiated by the Ministry of Culture and the Lithuanian Council for Culture and funded by the Government of the Republic of Lithuania, will continue. The second phase is planned for late summer and will invite specialists from three Lviv museums: the Lviv National Art Gallery named after Borys Voznytskyi, the Lviv Historical Museum, and the Andrey Sheptytsky National Museum in Lviv.
