Place · Gedimino Avenue & Lukiškės Square
Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights (KGB Museum)Okupacijų ir laisvės kovų muziejus
The former KGB building on Gedimino Avenue: 60–90 minutes; the basement cells and the exercise yard are the heart of it, and it is a heavy visit best done in the morning.
Key facts
- Time on site
- 70–90 min
- p95 120 min
- Price
- about €8–12 (≈ US$10–14)
- adult, 2026 estimate
- Hours
- 10:00–?10:00 AM–?
- typical, check
- Best time
- Morning
- quietest window
- 28″ bags
- Yes
- Gedimino Avenue & Lukiškės Square: ok
- Getting there
- Gedimino avenue 40, at Lukiškės Square
- Former KGB building
- Basement cells
- Heavy content
- Go Morning
- Crowded at peak
- Mostly indoors
Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.
Rules in force · 11Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…Treat the Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian borders with R…Old Town streets are cobbled and uneven, and snow or ice …
- Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
- Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
- Baltic states ↗Treat the Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian borders with Russia and Belarus as closed to your plans: crossings are restricted, change within hours, and sit under advisories on the far side.
- Baltic states ↗Book open-jaw flights (into Tallinn or Vilnius, out of the other) so the line runs one way; Riga is the biggest airport if you need a single hub.
- Baltic states ↗Midsummer (23–24 June) is the biggest holiday in all three countries: cities empty, many businesses close and island and coast transport sells out.
- Lithuania ↗Lithuania is in the EU and the Schengen area; the EU Entry/Exit System applies to non-EU visitors. Check the official EU and Lithuanian sources for your passport.
- Lithuania ↗Borders with Belarus and the Russian Kaliningrad region are not routes for casual travel; check your government's advice first.
- Lithuania ↗The Curonian Spit is a protected national park: cars pay an entry fee, and the Russian half of the spit is a separate border.
- Vilnius and the east ↗Dec–Feb is cold and dark in Vilnius and Trakai: plan outdoor sights for 10:00 to 15:00.
- Vilnius ↗Old Town streets are cobbled and uneven, and snow or ice makes them slower: large suitcases go from the taxi to the door, never on a walk.
- Vilnius ↗December and January have about seven hours of daylight: plan outdoor sights for 10:00 to 15:00.
Map & directions
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Plan
Open now, what it costs, what to know, how long it takes
Go now?
hours and prices: check on the day- Open
- Usually Opens 10:00Usually Opens 10:00 AM
- Crowds
Quietest around 17:00 · go Morning
MonTueWedThuFriSatSunQuietest Mon–Thu · busiest Fri–Sun · desk estimate
- Tickets
- Adult: about €8–12 (≈ US$10–14) (2026 estimate, check)
- Student / senior: reduced (check)
- Time to spend
- 70–90 min · up to 120 min if you linger
Know before you go
- The building was Gestapo and then KGB headquarters; it now records Soviet occupation and resistance.
- Ticket is about €8–12 (≈ US$10–14) (2026 estimate, check); audio guides are extra (check).
- The basement has cells, a padded cell and an execution room.
- The content is disturbing; check age rules for children.
- Allow 60–90 minutes and plan a quiet break afterwards.
- The museum is on Gedimino Avenue, at Lukiškės Square.
Best time of day
Go Morning. Plan 70–90 min inside.
quietlightbusyheavypacked· desk estimate for an ordinary weekday; add one level at weekends and cruise-ship or festival days
Weather here, next 7 days
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Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Time on site
Minimum
45min
Worthwhile
70min
Typical
90min
p95
120min
Opening hours and closing days change; not printed here until verified for your date.
Tickets & entry
- Where to buy
- Buy at the entrance on the day.
- Buy from the official site or the ticket desk; resellers add a fee for the same ticket.
- Adult: Ticket desk
- Senior and student: Same desk
- Audio guide: Same desk
- Tickets are sold on site; confirm the price and the audio guide fee.
- Dress code
- Shoes: On.
- Bags & lockers
- Small bags; check the cloakroom.
- Cloakroom For large bags (check).
- Photos
- Not in the cells or where marked; allowed in some public rooms (check).
- What's closed
- MondayscheckTypically closed on Mondays (check).
- Public holidayscheckClosed on some holidays.
- BasementcheckSome areas may close for conservation.
“Check” dates move year to year: confirm on the official page for your date.
| Ticket | Price | Where to buy | Skip-the-line reality |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | about €8–12 (≈ US$10–14) (2026 estimate, check) | Ticket desk | No priority lane. |
| Senior and student | reduced (check) | Same desk | — |
| Audio guide | extra (check) | Same desk | — |
Inside, in order
Ground and upper floors
30 minExhibitions on the Soviet occupation, deportations and resistance.
Basement cells
20 minCells, exercise yard and interrogation rooms.
Execution room
5 minA small room in the basement; heavy content.
Memorial wall
5 minNames of victims on the outside wall (check).
optional
Plan this visit
- Crowd on arrival
- light
- Worst while inside
- busy
- Leave by
- 11:3011:30 AM
- Closing buffer
- 330′
Good window: go.
- You are still on the approach after 11:00, when the slope below Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights (KGB Museum) fills; walk down before then if you can.
- Closing buffer is measured against a planning close of 17:00. Last entry is earlier than closing (check).
- Crowd levels are a desk estimate by hour, not live data.
How to do it well
- 1Buy a ticket at the desk and check the audio guide language.
- 2Start on the upper floors with the Soviet occupation displays.
- 3Descend to the basement cells, the padded cell and the execution room.
- 4Leave slowly; the exit leads to Lukiškės Square.
On the ground
Getting in, crowds, and where to go if it does not work
Getting in
- Stop
- Gedimino avenue 40, at Lukiškės Square
- Exit
- —
- Ticket
- on site · official site
- Stairs
- unknown
- Shoes
- Shoes on.
Crowds and switching
- Crowd clock
- Quiet early; school groups mid-morning; small queue at weekends.
- Sensory load
- 4/5
- Exposure
- low
Bailouts
heat
Cool inside the building
rain
Inside the museum
crowd
A weekday afternoon
Nearest rescue anchor: A — Lukiškės Square benches (field-verify)
Step-free check
- Step-free entrance: partly · partlyStairs to the basement.
- Lifts: check · check
- Accessible toilet: check · checkAsk.
- Wheelchair: partly · partlyThe upper floors may have a lift; the basement is not step-free (check).
- Stroller: partly · partlyLeave it at the cloakroom.
- Places to sit: yes · yesBenches in some rooms.
The basement cells are reached by stairs; ask about a lift (check).
Step-free route
- 1Ask the desk about a lift to the upper floors (check).
- 2The basement is reached by stairs.
- 3Use the main entrance on Gedimino Avenue.
Combine with
- 1 minLukiškės Square — A large square with a memorial (check).
- 1 minGedimino Avenue — The main shopping street.
- 1 minGedimino Avenue and Lukiškės Square — A quiet walk to reset.
- 18 minVilnius Cathedral — A free, calm interior.
- 20 minBernardine Garden — A quiet park by the river.
- 20 minOld Town self-service cafeteria · eat — A simple lunch.
- 25 minVilnius University — Covered arcades.
Walk the Gedimino Avenue & Lukiškės Square area · the cluster page has the walking order, rescue stops and after-dark notes
Best photo time today
Sun times for today load in your browser.
| Spot | When | Rule on the spot |
|---|---|---|
| Building façade on Gedimino | Any time | Respect the memorial context. |
| Lukiškės Square | Morning | A large open space. |
Red lines
- The museum covers arrests, torture and executions: check the age rules for children.
- No photography in the cells and in areas marked with a sign (check).
More on the groundFacilities · Seasons · Who it suits · Skip it if · Rules on site · With kids
Rules on site
- tripods
- Not allowed.
- food
- Not inside.
With kids
- with kids
- Not suited to young children; the content is heavy and disturbing.
- child price
- check
Facilities on site
| What | Status | Where / note |
|---|---|---|
| Toilets | yes | At the entrance. |
| Accessible toilet | check | Ask. |
| Cloakroom | yes | For large bags (check). |
| Café or food | limited | A small café or nearby cafés (check). |
| Drinking water | no | Bring a bottle. |
| Seating | yes | Benches. |
| Wi-Fi | check | Ask. |
| Card payment | yes | Cards at the desk (check). |
Seasons, festivals and night openings
| When | What happens | Effect on your visit | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 13 January | Freedom Defenders Day; special events (check). | check |
| Jun | 14 June | Day of Mourning and Hope; commemorations (check). | check |
| Nov–Feb | Winter | Quiet mornings; cold outside. |
“Check” rows move every year; confirm dates on the official calendar before you plan around them.
Who it suits
| Traveler | Fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| History fans | good | A detailed record of occupation. |
| Reflective visits | good | A serious and moving place. |
| Families with small kids | poor | Heavy content. |
| Wheelchair users | caution | Basement stairs. |
Skip it if
- You do not want a heavy visit.
- You have young children.
Deep dive
Questions, what is nearby, photos and sources
Questions and answers
Is the museum name the same as the old one?
It was known as the Museum of Genocide Victims; the name may differ on signs (check).
Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk
What is this museum?
The former KGB headquarters, now a museum of Soviet occupation and resistance.
Is it suitable for children?
Not for young children; check the age rules.
How long do I need?
About 60–90 minutes.
Can I take photos?
Not in the cells and marked areas (check).
Where is it?
On Gedimino Avenue, at Lukiškės Square.
Is there an audio guide?
Yes, in several languages (check).
Nearby
Straight-line distance; walk time adds 30% for streets.