Museum of Genocide Victims, Vilnius, Lithuania

The Museum of Genocide Victims, also known as KGB Museum, was established in 1992. In 1997 it was transferred to the Genocide and Resistance Research Centre of Lithuania. The museum is located in the former KGB headquarters across from the Lukiškės Square, therefore it is informally referred to as the KGB Museum. The museum is dedicated to collecting and exhibiting documents relating to the 50-year occupation of Lithuania by the Soviet Union, the Lithuanian resistance, and the victims of the arrests, deportations, and executions that took place during this period.

The museum building, completed in 1890, originally housed the court of the Vilna Governorate. The German Empire used it during its World War I occupation of the country. After independence was declared, it served as a conscription center for the newly formed Lithuanian army and as the Vilnius commander's headquarters. During theLithuanian Wars of Independence, the city was briefly taken by the Bolsheviks, and the building housed commissariats and a revolutionary tribunal. Following Żeligowski's Mutiny of 1920, Vilnius and its surroundings were incorporated into Poland, and the building housed the courts of justice for the Wilno Voivodship.

Lithuania was invaded by the Soviet Union in 1940, and following an ultimatum, became a Soviet Socialist Republic. Mass arrests and deportations followed, and the building's basement became a prison. In 1941 Nazi Germany invaded the country; the building then housed the Gestapo headquarters. Inscriptions on the cell walls from this era remain. The Soviets retook the country in 1944, and from then until independence was re-established in 1991, the building was used by the KGB, housing offices, a prison, and an interrogation center. Over 1,000 prisoners were executed in the basement between 1944 and the early 1960s, about one third for resisting the occupation. Most bodies were buried in the Tuskulėnai Manor, which underwent reconstruction and is selected to host the second Museum of Genocide Victims.

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User Reviews

Sean (12 months ago)
KGB Museum has an exceptional positioning giving a great insight to how Lithuania’s encounter such hanus acts upon them. It’s a must visit if you are heading to Velinis.

Susannah Hughes (13 months ago)
Very informative although a lot of reading. KGB prison in the basement is well preserved. €6 adult entry. I wouldnt take kids there.

Freddy Thobhani (13 months ago)
The museum provides an excellent showcase of the history of occupation and the struggle for independence in Lithuania. The prison section was particularly captivating. It's a must-visit for anyone interested in learning about Lithuanian history.

caner Olcay (14 months ago)
this museum in Lithuania is a profoundly impactful place that offers a deep dive into the country's turbulent history. As you walk through the exhibits, you're transported through the eras of Soviet and Nazi occupations, leading up to the struggle for independence. The museum does an excellent job of narrating these complex periods with a wealth of artifacts and personal stories. I was particularly moved by the resilience and courage displayed by the Lithuanian people.

Legends l (15 months ago)
Informative place to visit. It gives you an insight into how people have suffered in the hands of authoritarian leadership and communism. Places like this reminds us of what humanity should not be like. Would recommend a visit here for sure. Staff were kind and helpful.

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