Guided Museum Tour of the Exhibition "Hidden Within"

We invite you to travel through time — to see the regalia of the Lithuanian and Polish rulers dating back to the 16th century, and to learn about the dramatic history of the Vilnius Cathedral treasury, from its concealments in 1655, 1939 and 1991 to its discoveries in 1931, 1985 and 2024. In 2024, the burial regalia of King Alexander Jagiellon and Queens Elizabeth of Habsburg and Barbara Radvilaitė — crowns, a scepter and an orb — were discovered in the crypts of Vilnius Cathedral. These treasures were first brought to light in 1931, after an especially severe flood of the Neris and Vilnia rivers struck Vilnius. In 1939, with the outbreak of the Second World War, when the treasury's valuables could not be safely evacuated, the Cathedral itself became their most reliable hiding place. During the tour we will review the reception of the treasury's discoveries and the circumstances of their concealment. You will learn what the burial insignia placed in the royal tombs symbolized, and you will also get to know other valuables discovered in the 2024 hiding place: queens' jewelry attesting to Renaissance goldsmiths' craftsmanship, a set of gemstones, and plaques and votive offerings from the Chapel of St. Casimir in Vilnius Cathedral. Tour duration — 1 hour. Tour price — EUR 1 + visitor's ticket (EUR 10, EUR 5 with a discount). Discounts apply upon presentation of a document confirming eligibility. Advance registration is required by phone + 370 5 269 7800 or email edukacija@bpmuziejus.lt. Tickets can be purchased at the museum's ticket office or via the "Paysera Tickets" system. The exhibition "Hidden Within" will run at the Museum of Church Heritage (Šv. Mykolo g. 9, Vilnius) from July 9 until January 30, 2027. More information: www.bpmuziejus.lt, email muziejus@muziejus.lt or phone +370 5 269 7803; media inquiries +370 684 07792. The exhibition is organized by the Museum of Church Heritage, in partnership with the Vilnius Academy of Arts. The museum's activities are funded by the Archdiocese of Vilnius, the Lithuanian Council for Culture, and Vilnius City Municipality. The project is partly funded by the Research Council of Lithuania. DISCOUNTS APPLY TO: students, schoolchildren, teachers, lecturers, guides, military personnel, police officers, retirees, people with disabilities and their accompanying persons, deportees, members of the Lithuanian Artists' Association, members of the Lithuanian Society of Art Historians, and members of the Lithuanian Archaeologists' Society. All ticket discounts offered by the Museum of Church Heritage can be found at www.bpmuziejus.lt.

Adresas: Bažnytinio paveldo muziejus, Šv. Mykolo gatvė, Vilnius, Vilniaus m. sav., Lietuva