Lithuanian Sea Museum

Dolphinarium | Marine fauna | Sea birds | Sea mammals | The history of navigation | Aquarium-Sea Museum | Veteran vassels | Fishermans farmstead | Museum activities

	-	Dolphinarium			-	Aquarium | Maritime Museum
	-	Fishermans Farmstead			-	Veteran Vassels

Status - A national museum
Founder - The Lithuania Ministry of Culture
Area of the territory:
Display Area - approx. 85.000 m2
Inside - 2.466 m2
In the open air - 30.558 m2
The total number of the exhibits - 60.062 pcs.
Number of visitors a year - 400.000

The Lithuanian Sea Museum is located in Kopgalis, the northernmost point of the Curonian Spit . From three sides it is surrounded by the Curonian Lagoon and the Baltic Sea. In the second half of the 19th century a Sea fortress was built in Kopgalis. Its fortification system consisted of a central redoubt (designed as living quarters for the garrison), a defensive moat, ramparts with casemates located underneath, and gunpowder magazines. At the end of World War II the fortress was partially destroyed (the central redoubt blown up) , and for a long time it was not used. Following the restoration and reconstruction of the fortress in 1979 the main exhibits of the Lithuanian Sea Museum were put on display there. At the very initial stage of the creation of the Museum it became evident that the Museum will develop into a museum unit comprising exhibitions of marine nature and history of navigation. The reconstructed central redoubt (project author architect P.Lape, designer T.Tubis) houses aquariums with fish species from Lithuania's fresh waters, the Baltic Sea and tropic seas, as well as a permanent exposition of prepared samples of marine fauna. Penguins, Baltic Sea seals and Steller's Sea lions live in the outdoor pools next to the aquarium building. An exposition of the history of Lithuanian navigation has been put on display in the casemates, former gunpowder magazines located beneath the fortress ramparts, while a collection of ancient and modern anchors is placed on former cannon platforms on the ramparts. An ethnographic fisherman's farmstead has been built on the shore of the Curonian Lagoon at the place where the old Kopgalis fishing village used to stand. Next to the farmstead there is a ground with fishing vessels which gave a start to industrial fishing in Lithuania. In 1994 a dolphinarium was opened, the last item in the Lithuanian Sea Museum complex which covers all areas of human relations with the sea. The comprehensive approach makes our museum different from other Sea museums of Europe.

Contacts

Working hours

Summer season
In MAY and in SEPTEMBER the Museum is open from 10.30 to 17.30. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Dolphin shows are held at 12.00 and 15.00 hours. Steller's Sea lion shows in the circus arena are held at 11.00 and 13.00 hours.

From JUNE 1 st to AUGUST 31st the Museum is open from 10.30 to 18.30 .Closed on Mondays. Dolphin shows are held at 12.00,14.00 and 16.00 hours Steller's Sea lion shows in the circus arena are held at 11.00 , 13.00 and 15.00 hours.

From July 1st to August 27th on Saturdays and Sundays at 18.00 special water shows & concerts are held at the dolphinarium.

Closed on the following public holidays:
January 1st, November 1st, December 25th. During school holidays the Museum is open from 10.30 to 15.30 (except Mondays and Tuesdays), dolphin shows are held at 12.00 if more than 15 visitors gather (on Saturdays and Sundays at 12.00 and 15.00 hours).

Admission Prices to the Sea Museum

adults: 5 Lt
children, schoolchildren, students, retired persons: 3 Lt

To the the Steller's Sea lion Shows: 3 Lt
Camera fee: 5 Lt

Advance bookings for guide tour to the Sea Museum and the Aquarium accepted (phone +370 46 391 125)
Guide tour price: in Lithuanian : 20 Lt/5 $ in a foreign language: 40 Lt/10 $ (German, English, Russian)

To matinee dolphin shows:

To water shows & concerts: a special ticket price fixed

All tickets available at the ticket offices of the Sea Museum and the Dolphinarium. Ticket office phone: +370 46 391 133
The Administration of the Lithuanian Sea Museum reserves the right to amend the ticket prices.