Šiauliai City Municipality
Samogitia
one of Lithuania's oldest and largest regional museums
Aušros al. 47, Šiauliai (Šiauliai History Museum); administration at Vilniaus g. 74
55.93908, 23.30583
1-1.5 hours for the history exhibition
year-round
Aušra Museum, Šiauliai Aušra Museum
Šiauliai Aušra Museum: One of Lithuania's Oldest
Šiauliai Aušra Museum is one of the oldest and largest museums in Lithuania. Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija gives its founding date as 11 March 1923, on the 40th anniversary of the newspaper Aušra, by decision of the Šiauliai county board and through the initiative of local-history researcher Peliksas Bugailiškis. Its name directly connects it with the first Lithuanian newspaper, so from the beginning the museum had a clear national and cultural mission.
The first collections grew from personal collections donated by the founders, and Česlovas Liutikas became the first head. Over a century the museum expanded into a large institution: its holdings contain more than 275,000 exhibits, and its work covers archaeology, ethnography, history, art, and photography.
Aušros Alley Palace and the Main Exhibition
In 1933 the museum moved into a new school building on Aušros Alley, known as the Aušros Alley Palace. Its displays were then divided into archaeology, ethnography, history, nature, and art sections. The building is still considered the historical heart of the museum.
After reconstruction in 2019-2021, the Šiauliai History Museum branch opened in the Aušros Alley Palace in 2022, telling the history of Šiauliai and its region from the earliest times. For visitors, this is the most convenient place to understand the city and region in one setting.
The Museum and Its Branches
The Aušra Museum has grown into a whole network. Alongside the main history exhibition, it includes several well-known branches: Chaim Frenkel Villa with the administration, Venclauskiai House-Museum, Photography Museum, Bicycle Museum, Radio and Television Museum, Žaliūkiai Miller's Homestead, and the poet Jovaras's house.
This branching allows the museum to tell very different stories, from Jewish industrialists to photography, bicycle production, and miller life. A visit to Šiauliai can therefore be planned as a route through several branches, with the main history exhibition as the starting point.
How to Visit
The main history exhibition is in the Aušros Alley Palace at Aušros al. 47, while the museum administration operates in Chaim Frenkel Villa at Vilniaus g. 74. Each branch has its own opening hours and ticket, so decide in advance which sites you want to visit.
Opening hours and ticket prices change, so check the official museum page before travelling. The main history exhibition usually takes 1-1.5 hours; if you want to visit several branches, plan a full day.
