Devils Museum in Kaunas

Tourists going to the devils museum in Kaunas and expecting to have a hell of a time will not be disappointed, since the expression “hell of a time” can have both a positive and a negative meaning. It is perhaps most appropriate that a visit to a museum devoted to the devil should be a rather hellish experience, and the Devils Museum in Kaunas does seem to strive towards accommodating this need. It is somewhat awkward to find, the elderly women who work there are a bit rude and condescending, the interior is unappealing, and the exhibitions seemingly never change. All in all, this makes visitors feel a bit unwelcome in a place where they would preferably not stay for a long time, and to which they are not likely to return to willingly. One could say that such impressions in many ways are in keeping with the devils general values and intentions, and therefore appropriate when visiting a museum in his honor.





One of many devils on display at the Devils Museum in Kaunas

On the other hand, people interested in woodcrafts will have a hell of a good time in this museum, regardless of the above mentioned factors. The museum does after all have some great pieces of art on display, and for all woodcarvers believing that the devil is in the detail this is the place to go when in Kaunas. And such people rarely mind that the exhibitions hardly ever change, anyway.




So-called "Devil fingers". More about them in a later article about Lithuanian character.

As a Norwegian, this museum also very much appealed to my national character. We have long-standing traditions for honoring eccentric elderly citizens who have devoted entire lives to collecting abnormal amounts of items connected to a certain marginal category.  Elsewhere in the world, such people are often considered hoarders, but we as a nation recognize them as heroes through for instance such wildly popular TV-shows as “Norge Rundt”.   




Lithuanian devils seem to have the accordion as their preferred instrument.
As a fellow accordion player I am of course worried.

 

On the whole this is just another soviet style museum with a static exhibition and elderly women stationed strategically throughout the premises, more to guard the items on display than to guide the visitors. It deserves a facelift in the form of some fresh funds and some guiding in how to spend those funds wisely in order to revitalize the museum. There are after all so many people out there with a fascination for the devil, and yet so few devils museums.

 Rated: Why not take a look?