Stasys Museum effect – nearly 40,000 visitors in 3 months

The newest contemporary art museum in the country, Stasys Museum, which opened its doors in Panevėžys, is now counting the results of its first three months, or its own “trial period.” Since it opened on June 1st, the museum has already welcomed nearly 40,000 visitors. 53% of them were locals from Panevėžys, while 47% were visitors from elsewhere. Warm feedback about the museum came from guests from neighboring countries such as Latvia, Poland, and Estonia, as well as visitors from France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Sweden, Belgium, Georgia, Tajikistan, India, and the USA.

Over the first three months, the museum organized 77 private tours and educational programs, 30 public tours and educational sessions, and hosted 4 private events. Nearly 2,500 visitors took part in the tours and educational activities.

“We can confidently say that Stasys Museum has already become a visible and well-known cultural institution on Lithuania’s cultural map. We are observing the dynamic and impactful implementation of our mission to increase access to international professional art and culture in our city. Stasys Eidrigevičius’s work resonates with and engages everyone, regardless of age, geography, environment, or artistic background. In three months, we have exceeded both the museum’s goals and our own expectations, so we are grateful to everyone who supported, helped, and contributed,” said Vaida Andrijauskaitė, director of the Stasys Museum.

To celebrate the opening of the museum, the Panevėžys city municipality offered its residents the opportunity to visit the museum for free for three months. Despite this, museum visitors purchased tickets amounting to more than 80,000 euros. The museum’s total revenue during its first three months exceeded 90,000 euros.

Among the most popular items in the museum’s gift shop is Stasys Eidrigevičius’s book “Traveling Imagination”, followed closely by unisex kimonos designed specifically for the museum by Kristina Kruopienytė, as well as museum posters and notebooks.

In October, the Stasys Museum team will participate in the ArtVilnius ’24 art fair, where they will showcase the highly popular traveling exhibition of Stasys Eidrigevičius’s book illustrations, “Traveling Imagination.” In November, the city of Lyon, France, will host the presentation of Lithuania’s season, for which an exhibition of Stasys Eidrigevičius’s paintings is being prepared.

At the end of November, the museum plans to present the first exhibition in Lithuania of internationally recognized Austrian artist Hermann Nitsch, which will replace part of the existing debut exhibition ICON-O-STASYS. The museum will also soon present an updated educational program. Stay tuned for more news.