The Lost Shtetl Museum Announces Its Opening Date

The Šeduva Jewish History Museum, The Lost Shtetl, will officially open its doors to visitors on September 20. The museum’s main exhibition will explore the Jewish community that lived in Šeduva during the interwar period in Lithuania, inviting visitors to discover the culture, traditions, and history of shtetl life.

The museum stands out for both its architecture and content. The striking building complex was designed by renowned Finnish architect Rainer Mahlamäki, while the exhibition—created by an international team—uses cutting-edge technologies to tell the story of Jewish life in Lithuania’s shtetls. Museum admission, guided tours, and educational programs will be free of charge for the coming year.

Šeduva as Part of the Shtetl Civilization

The museum’s mission is to present the unique shtetl culture, which played a significant role in shaping Lithuania’s historical development and cultural identity. The shtetl phenomenon also reflects a broader civilization with deep cultural and historical significance.

“Through the story of Šeduva’s shtetl, we aim to tell the story of many others—over 200 existed in Lithuania during the interwar period, and thousands more across the former Grand Duchy of Lithuania, including present-day Latvia, Belarus, Poland, and Ukraine. Most Jewish communities in these shtetls spoke Yiddish among themselves, while using local languages—Lithuanian, Polish, Russian, Ukrainian—to communicate with neighbors. ‘Shtetl’ is a Yiddish word meaning ‘small town.’ Before World War II, a vibrant shtetl civilization flourished across Central and Eastern Europe—tragically destroyed by the Holocaust,” says Dr. Jolanta Mickutė, Head of Education at the museum.

She notes the symbolic timing: the museum opens on September 20, just days before Lithuania’s Holocaust Remembrance Day on September 23. The Jewish communities in these regional shtetls were among the first victims. “The Jewish community of Šeduva was executed in the nearby Liaudiškiai forest on August 25–26. In two days, 664 Jews—men, women, and children—were murdered. More than 80 years later, we’ve invited descendants of survivors to return to Šeduva. Together, on August 25, we will honor the victims and mark the museum’s opening as a memorial site for the Šeduva Jewish community,” says Dr. Mickutė.

Created by an International Team

The museum’s foundation stone was laid in 2018 on the outskirts of Šeduva, near the Old Jewish Cemetery. Construction took seven years. The building, designed by Rainer Mahlamäki, resembles a small town from afar, with the silhouette of a synagogue roof among modest homes. Next to the museum is the Memorial Park, which reflects the landscape that surrounded Šeduva’s Jewish community for nearly 300 years—until its destruction.

“It took over a decade to turn the idea into functioning museum. The core team behind the project evolved and grew, with hundreds of talented creators and experts in Jewish culture and history contributing. Later, teams from Lithuania, the U.S., the Netherlands, Poland, Finland, and Switzerland spent seven years building the museum, shaping its surroundings, and creating the Memorial Park,” says museum director Jonas Heraklis Dovydaitis.

The exhibition was curated by the museum’s team with support from global experts. According to Dr. Mickutė, the team consulted with other Jewish museums and trained guides and educators with help from Holocaust, Yiddish, and Jewish history specialists. “We’re especially proud to have assembled a strong Advisory Board of local and international experts. With their guidance, we hope to continue improving the museum and growing ourselves,” says Dr. Mickutė. The board includes: Prof. Anthony Polonsky, Dr. Christoph Dieckmann, Prof. Saulius Sužiedėlis, Prof. Jeffrey Veidlinger, Prof. Ruth Leiserowitz and Dr. Zigmas Vitkus.

Visitor Information

Dr. Mickutė emphasizes that the museum aims to be an open and vibrant center for memory and historical dialogue—not only for culture lovers and those interested in Jewish religion and traditions, but also for those seeking answers to complex historical questions: “We’re designing educational programs to align with school curricula, so teachers and students can have meaningful lessons and experiences at the museum.”

Admission, guided tours, and educational programs will be free not only during the opening weekend but throughout the coming year. The museum notes that visitor capacity is limited, so guests are encouraged to reserve free tickets for individual or group visits. Visitors are welcome starting September 20.

More information is available on the museum’s official website or by phone at +370 628 01 742.