Rokiškis District Municipality
Aukštaitija
private doll museum and puppet theatre
Pušyno g. 2, Bajorai village, Rokiškis eldership, Rokiškis District
55.98740, 25.61010
1-1.5 hours by prior booking
year-round; by prior booking
Bajorai Doll Museum, ČIZ Puppet Theatre
Doll House Museum: dolls from around the world
The Doll House Museum is in Bajorai village, about 3 km north of Rokiškis. It is a private doll collection with about 1,500 dolls from around the world and also a home puppet theatre. The place stands out because the dolls are not only displayed; they perform, and after performances visitors may play with them.
The museum is arranged in the Bajorai village cultural house and works as a warm, lively space, especially attractive for families with children and groups. It is one of the most distinctive museums in the Rokiškis region.
Dalia Ziemelienė's collection
Cultural worker Dalia Ziemelienė, whose surname appears as Zemelienė in some sources, has displayed the collection since January 1999. The story goes that it began when her adult daughter suggested throwing away an old doll, and Dalia decided to collect dolls instead of discarding them.
Today the museum shows expressive dolls, handmade dolls, and traditional dolls in national costumes from Sweden, Poland, Latvia, Spain, Ukraine, Germany, and other countries. Each has its own story.
ČIZ Puppet Theatre
The museum is closely connected with the ČIZ puppet theatre, whose name is made from the first letters of the surnames of its three founders: Čirūnienė, Ivanova, and Zemelienė. They sew all theatre dolls and sets by hand.
The theatre has performed in Latvia, Poland, and Ukraine, and in 2002 received the amateur-theatre award Aukso paukštė, the Golden Bird. Performances are created not only for children but also for adults, and afterwards audiences are invited to play with the dolls themselves.
Visiting
The museum has no permanent opening schedule. Visits, performances, and education programmes must be booked in advance. During research, several programmes were offered: Doll House viewing or education at 4 EUR, making a thread doll at 1 EUR, and a full programme with performance at 5 EUR per person.
Allow 1-1.5 hours. Because the museum has no official website, arrange the visit by phone, and combine a Rokiškis-region trip with Rokiškis Manor or other district sites.
