Rumsiskes Open-Air Museum

Rumsiskes gathers the rural Lithuania of the past into one enormous open-air museum, with farmsteads, a whole small-town street and buildings from all the ethnographic regions rebuilt across a huge site by the Kaunas reservoir. It even includes a reconstructed exile hut, remembering the deportations to Siberia.

What to look for

• Regional villages - farmsteads from Dzukija, Aukstaitija, Suvalkija and Zemaitija.
• The town street - a reconstructed small-town main street with shops and workshops.
• The exile hut - a memorial to Lithuanians deported to Siberia.
• Craft demonstrations - potters, weavers and smiths at work in summer.

When to go

Summer for costumed staff, crafts and full access; the Uzgavenes carnival in late winter is a famous, lively day of masks and pancakes. Allow plenty of time, since the site is huge.

Practical notes

It is enormous, with long distances between areas, so you walk a great deal or use the little train - wear good shoes and pick a dry day. Out of the summer season much is closed and quiet. It rewards a slow, curious visit over a rushed one.

Nearby

Kaunas and Pazaislis monastery are a short drive; the reservoir shore is pleasant for a walk.