Theaters and Symphonies
The Opera and Ballet Theater, on A. Vienuolio street, along the river, offers performances from the pseudo-professional to the outstanding; tel. 262-0727; info@opera.lt. During intermission, rub shoulders with Vilnius VIPs. Buy tickets several days in advance or show up with your fingers crossed five minutes before the performance starts. www.opera.lt
The National Philharmonic at Auđros Vartu 5, tel. 266-5233, offers a range of classical music, from Mahler and Beethoven to post-modern or medieval music performed on original instruments. www.filharmonija.lt
The National Drama Theater at Gedimino 4, tel. 262-9771, puts on some of the best productions in Vilnius. They also provide live English translation. www.teatras.lt
The Music Academy Gedimino 42, tel. 261-2691, holds regular concerts by aspiring, often brilliant music students. Free entry.
Vilnius Congress Palace: Vilniaus 6/14, tel. 261-8707, lvso@iti.lt. A concert hall. www.lvso.lt
Leles Teatras (Puppet Theater): Arkliu 5, tel. 262-8678. Puppet shows for those between 3 and 90-years-old.
Museums and Galleries
Adomas Mickevičius (Adam Mickiewicz) Memorial Apartment: Bernardinu 11, tel. 279-1879. Open:10-17; Sat., Sun. 10-14; Mon. closed. The flat where the great 19th century poet lived in 1822. Lithuanians insist on calling him Mickevičius and claim him as their own. He only wrote in Polish, and Poland claims he is Polish to the bone. He was the author of the Polish epic poem Pan Tadeusz, which opens with, “Lithuania My Fatherland, you are health, only he who has lost you can know how much you are cherished.” Lithuanians say Mickevičius was referring to Lithuania per se; Poles say he was referring to Lithuania as a mere province of Poland. This museum takes the Lithuanian view.
Amber Museum-Gallery: Sv. Mykolo 8, tel. 262-3092. Open:10-19. www.ambergallery.lt
Artillery Bastion: Bokđto 20/18, tel. 261-2149. Open:10-17; Mon. closed. In a 17th century Polish-Lithuanian fortress. If you’re a military buff, you’ll enjoy this place.
Galerija Vartai: (J-1) Vilniaus 39, tel. 212-2949. Open:12-18; Sat. 12-16; Sun., Mon. closed. www.galerijavartai.lt
Genocide Museum: at Auku 2a, off of central Gedimino; tel. 249-6264. Open:10-17; Mon. closed. This is one of the only museums of its kind in the former Soviet empire. For a haunting sense of the terror that swept the land under Soviet rule, you’ll want to drop in to this museum in what was the much-feared KGB headquarters until 1991. You can tour actual cells where prisoners were held and tortured. On a recent trip, President Adamkus found the entry for him in the KGB log book, from when he was a prisoner in the building.Jewish Museum: Pamenkalnio 12, tel. 262-0730. In Lithuania, the recent past still evokes vivid, often bitter memories. This is certainly true regarding the Nazi occupation, when the nation’s Jewish community was virtually wiped out. This museum chronicles the tragic era.
Lietuvos Aidas Gallery: Universiteto 2, tel. 212-4727. Open;11-18; Sat. 11-16; Sun., Mon. closed. www.lagalerija.lt
National Museum of Lithuania (Lietuvos Nacionalinis Muziejus): (F-3) Arsenalo 1, tel. 262-9426. Open:10-17; Mon. closed. Exhibits trace the history of Lithuania from pre-historic times to 1940. A good collection of crosses studded with pagan symbols. Curiously, the museum also has an Egyptian mummy, donated by a German duke in 1899. www.lnm.lt
Pushkin Memorial Museum: (D-6) Subačiaus 124, tel. 260-0080. Open:10-17; Mon., Tue. closed. Devoted to Russian poet Alexander Pushkin, in a house where his son once lived.
Radvilai Palace: Vilniaus 22, tel. 262-0981. Open:12-18; Sun.12-17; Mon. closed. A permanent exhibition of Western European paintings and graphics from the 16th to 18th centuries.
Vilnius Art Gallery: Didzioji 4, tel. 212-4258. Open:12-18; Mon. closed. Lithuanian art from the 16th to 19th centuries. The collection of the Lithuanian Art Museum which recently closed will be merged with this gallery.
Vilnius Castle Museum: (F-3) Arsenalo 5, tel. 261-7453. In the 13th century Gedimino Tower. Displays artifacts from the Vilnius Castle. Great views of Vilnius.
Cinemas
The cinemas below mostly run their English-language films with subtitles. Many other Vilnius movie houses do voice dubbing in Lithuanian.
Coca-Cola Plaza: (D-3) Savanoriu 7, tel. 265-1625. www.forumcinemas.lt
Forumcinemas Akropolis: Ozo 25, tel. 248-4848. Eight new and modern theaters. www.forumcinemas.lt
Lietuva: Pylimo 17, tel. 262-3422.
Sale 88: Pylimo 17, tel. 231-4587. Specializes in art house movies.
