Šiauliai City Municipality
Samogitia
Lithuania's only museum devoted to bicycles
Vilniaus g. 139, Šiauliai
55.92836, 23.31986
1 hour
year-round
Bicycle Museum
Šiauliai Bicycle Museum: The Only One in Lithuania
Šiauliai Bicycle Museum is the only specialized museum in Lithuania devoted to bicycle history. It tells how bicycle construction changed over two and a half centuries, from wooden predecessors to modern sports machines, while also recalling that Šiauliai was the country's main bicycle-production centre.
The museum operates as a branch of the Šiauliai Aušra Museum. Visuotinė lietuvių enciklopedija lists it among the specialized branches of the Aušra Museum, so it is easy to combine with other museum spaces in the city.
Bicycle Production in Šiauliai
The core of the museum story is Šiauliai's bicycle industry. The Vairas factory in the city made some of the most popular Lithuanian bicycles of the Soviet period; in 1951 the first Lithuanian bicycles, Ereliukas and Kregždutė, began production. Šiauliai thus tied its name to the bicycle for a long time, and the museum became the keeper of that industrial memory.
The museum's own history also began at the factory. A public bicycle museum was established there in 1980; in 1985 the exhibition opened on Vilniaus Street, and in 1993 the museum was transferred to the Aušra Museum as a branch. In 2004 the exhibition Bicycle and Lithuania was installed.
What to See
The museum holdings contain more than 1,500 exhibits, and the exhibition presents bicycles from many periods, from early, difficult-to-ride constructions to Lithuanian models created at the factory. Among the exhibits are objects directly connected with Šiauliai bicycle production.
The contemporary museum presents part of its content interactively: visitors can try how old and new bicycles differ, compete, or attempt sport cycling. This mix makes the museum appealing both to children and to technical-history enthusiasts.
How to Visit
The Bicycle Museum is on Vilniaus Street, near the centre of Šiauliai and the pedestrian boulevard, so it is easy to reach on foot. About one hour is usually enough, and the visit combines well with other Aušra Museum branches.
At the time of research, announced hours were 10:00-18:00 on weekdays and 11:00-17:00 on weekends, with an adult ticket around 5 EUR and reduced tickets cheaper. Since schedules and prices change, check the official museum page before travelling.
