Žmuidzinavičius Museum

The exhibit of the Žmuidzinavičius Museum

Žmuidzinavičius Museum, commonly known as the Devils' Museum (Lithuanian: Velnių muziejus), is a museum in Kaunas, Lithuania, dedicated to collecting and exhibiting sculptures and carvings of devils from all over the world. As of 2009, its holdings encompass about 3,000 exhibits.[1] The collection was initiated by painter Antanas Žmuidzinavičius (1876–1966). A memorial museum was established in his house after his death. At the time the devil collection had only 260 sculptures.[2] As the collection grew, enriched by a number of gifts presented to the museum by its visitors, a separate three-storey extension was built in 1982.[1] The devils, collected from different cultures, are diverse: some are just works of art, while others are incorporated into useful objects, some represent folk myths, while others express modern political ideas.[2] For example, one sculpture depicts Hitler and Stalin as devils in a dance of death over a playground littered with human bones.[2]

Exhibition

Devils' Museum is included in the list of the most unusual museums in the world. Three floors have about 1000 horned creatures from around the world coming in different shapes, sizes, colours and made from different materials.

The first floor of the museum belongs to the Lithuanian devils. Most of the devils are the real works of art: painted on silk or canvas, carved in wood, made of ceramic or stone, also depicted not only with traditional horns, but tales and mops on their heads.

On the second floor, there is huge wooden devil – donated to the museum by people who started facing numerous disasters. They believed it was the devil sending them the hardships, so no longer wanted to keep him in their homestead. The second floor is dedicated for natural jokes, and strangeness of all sorts. Exhibits include twigs, pebbles resembling the devil's image and found by people.

Third floor is dedicated for the foreign devils. Their number is growing sense that the visitors of the museum and foreign guests are often bringing in some new devil.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 "Devils' Museum". Lithuanian Art Museum. 2009-10-20. Retrieved 2009-12-12.
  2. 1 2 3 Bignell, Rachel (September 2007). "Devil Museum, Kaunas, Lithuania". Fortean Traveller.
  3. ↑ http://www.lithuania.travel/en-gb/attractions/devil-museum/17162
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Coordinates: 54°54′03″N 23°54′38″E / 54.90083°N 23.91056°E / 54.90083; 23.91056


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