Smalininkai, Jurbarkas District Municipality
Lithuania Minor
museum of old machinery and crafts with more than 7000 exhibits
Liepų g. 2, Smalininkai, Jurbarkas District
55.07430, 22.57670
1-1.5 hours
year-round; arrange the visit in advance
Justinas Stonys Museum of Ancient Technology, Museum of Ancient Technology in Smalininkai
Smalininkai Museum of Ancient Technology
Smalininkai Museum of Ancient Technology is in Smalininkai, Jurbarkas District, on the right bank of the Nemunas, in Lithuania Minor close to the Lithuanian border with Kaliningrad Oblast. It is a private collection located in the founder's home and yard, with more than 7000 exhibits.
The exhibits tell the history of agriculture, household work, crafts, and technology. Visitors can see old internal-combustion engines, tractors and transport machines, electrical, radio, cinema, and photography equipment, and a wide range of household objects from meat grinders to calculating machines.
A collection created by Justinas Stonys
The museum was founded in 2004 by Justinas Stonys (1940-2023), who expanded it until the end of his life. The collection grew from family relics, and exhibits were collected for years across the Klaipėda Region and Lithuania, bought or received as gifts. The museum is therefore also a monument to one person's passion and care.
According to the Smalininkai community website, the museum presents as many as 34 old production technologies and 19 crafts, from beekeeping to extracting iron from bog ore. The agricultural-machinery line runs from early tractors and locomobiles to seeders and threshing machines.
How to visit the museum
The museum is private, so it is best to arrange a visit in advance. The official Smalininkai page provides contacts, while opening hours and prices circulating online often come from third-party sources; before travelling, call and check current information.
About one hour is enough for a visit. The Smalininkai technology museum combines well with other town sites: Lithuania's oldest water gauging station, the winter port, and churches. Do not confuse them: the technology museum, water gauging station, and port are separate Smalininkai objects.
