Cultural Heritage

Museums, music, art, dance and theatre form the backbone of our local cultural heritage and our contribution towards the national cultural heritage of Lithuania. The cultural life here has deep traditions, developed over 600 years of history and defined during perhaps the last fifty years.

Kaunas has become synonymous with its rich collection of art, artefacts, antiquities, and oddities held with its thirty plus museums and galleries. Visitors should check out the Devils Museum - the only museum in the world dedicated to all things devilish!! For lovers of the weird and wonderful world of the avant-garde you are encouraged to visit the Fluxus exhibition at the Modern Art Museum. The Fluxus movement was started by Kaunas born Jurgis (George) Maciunas and included followers such as Yoko Ono, Joseph Beuys, John Cage, George Brecht and Robert Filliou (as well as counting Andy Warhol and John Lennon amongst its interested subscribers!) and the exhibition contains many pieces of work by these artists.

Modern and traditional annual musical events play a key role in enticing visitors to Kaunas. The Pazaislis Classical Music Festival is recognised internationally and during the three months of the festival, one can hear concerts in different halls, churches, and museums around the city. For jazz lovers in particular, the annual international jazz festival "Kaunas Jazz" attracts renowned performers from around the word to a selection of large and small venues around the city. Kaunas also regularly plays host to events such as the International Youth Festival of Music, the International Grand Piano Ensembles Festival; International Festival of Sacral Music ("Cantate Domino"); and the Traditional Festival of Countryside Orchestras ("Grok, Jurgeli!"). Fast becoming a regular in our cultural calendar is the outside event "Operetta at Kaunas Castle".

Kaunas has some eight theatres, and although they take a break in the summer time, the programmes they put on during the rest of the year offer something for every type of theatregoer. We have the works of many classic Lithuanian and Russian playwrights, as well as contemporary Lithuanian, British, and other international playwrights. However, there are also specialist theatres for children with interactive performances. Dance - both traditional and contemporary - has a rich history in Kaunas and we have the annual International Festival of Modern Dance organised by the modern dance theatre group "Aura".

Aside from the events above, Kaunas also has an annual celebration in May for the city's birthday - "Kaunas City Day". The history behind this event dates back to 1463 when Kazimieras Jogailaitis renewed and expanded the privileges of the city. The oldest original privilege is kept in St. Petersburg's archives with a copy kept in Kaunas City Hall. Luckily for people here, the event is actually a three-day celebration bringing together people from across all of the regions in Kaunas County. Activities include the promotion and selling of each regions individual traditions, crafts, handi-work, and farm-produce. There are of course plenty of opportunities to taste the wares and to wash it all down with glasses of beer - or something a little stronger!! Over the course of three days, the main pedestrian street in the city centre leading all the way through the old town to the majestic Rotuses Square is alight with fancy dress, street stalls, theatre processions, concerts, fairs and other exciting eye catching attractions.

Rotuses Square is very much the heart of old Kaunas and no more so than in December when a Christmas tree complete with exquisite decorations is erected to form our focus for the start of festive season celebrations. If you chose only one time to visit Kaunas - then winter is a magic time