Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights (KGB Museum)

What you're visiting

The Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights — still widely known as the KGB Museum — occupies the building that served as the headquarters of the Gestapo and then, for decades, the Soviet KGB. It is one of the most important historical sites in Vilnius, telling the story of Lithuania's Soviet and Nazi occupations, the mass deportations to the Gulag, and the armed partisan resistance that continued into the 1950s. The upper-floor exhibitions are detailed and document-heavy, so allow time to read.

The most powerful part is the basement: the preserved KGB prison, where you walk through cramped cells, padded and water-torture rooms, and an execution chamber left largely as it was. It is a chilling, unforgettable experience and not one for very young children. Please treat the whole building as the memorial it is — many people were imprisoned and killed here.

• Address: Aukų g. 2A, Vilnius (corner of Gedimino prospektas)
• Highlight: the authentic former KGB prison in the basement
• Tone: sombre and intense; not recommended for small children
• Allow: around 1.5–2 hours; the upper floors are text-heavy
• Run by the state Genocide and Resistance Research Centre of Lithuania

Good to know

Recent opening hours are Wednesday to Saturday 10:00–18:00 and Sunday 10:00–17:00, with the museum closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Contrary to some older listings, regular admission is ticketed rather than free; entry is free on certain national days of remembrance (such as 13 January and 14 June) and for Vilnius Pass holders and other concession groups. Because hours, prices and free-entry days can change, check the official website before you visit.

It is the anchor site for understanding Soviet-era Vilnius and pairs well with other independence and resistance landmarks across the city.