Live Puppet Museum

Live Puppet Museum is situated in Vilnius Puppet Theatre “LĖLĖ“. It was opened on May 6, 2006 to celebrate the 70 years anniversary of the Lithuanian professional puppet theatre. The authors of the first exhibition were R. Driežis and A. Bagočiūnaitė Paukštienė.

The museum stores and exhibits scenography fragments of discontinued performances, puppets and masks made by B. Lukošius, G. Žalalis, V. Mazūras, R. Driežis, G. Radvilavičiūtė; puppet masters Vytautas Jančiauskas, Kęstutis Musteikis, Alis Šalkauskas, Liljana Janavičienė, Ligita Skukauskaitė, Virginija Pajarskienė, Martynas Lukošius and others. It should be noted, however, that not all the exhibits were created at the theatre “Lėlė“; the museum stores three marionettes made by Stasys Ušinskas, the pioneer of the Lithuanian professional puppet theatre.

Alongside the permanent display which is presented to the visitors by professional puppeteers, the museum organizes thematic exhibitions, workshops, educational programmes, and expeditions; contributes to the cultural publications with articles about history of the puppet theatre, makes arrangements for preparation and publication of video and sound recordings of shows, commemorative posters, brochures and archival files; participates in exhibitions organised by other institutions.

Live Puppet Museum has staged significant exhibitions in art galleries, museums, libraries and different events organised by other institutions in Lithuania and beyond. From 2015, the theatre “Lėlė“ promotes the museum in all regions of Lithuania.