Engaging Teens with the Vilnius City Museum

Engaging teenagers in museums is a universal challenge. How can these institutions transform into spaces that teenagers genuinely want to visit? More importantly, how can museums make teenagers feel that these spaces reflect their interests and welcome their participation? The Vilnius City Museum has addressed this challenge with an innovative approach, potentially serving as an inspiration for other museums.

A Fresh Perspective on Local History

Vilnius City Museum, a relatively new institution, offers a fresh perspective on the city’s past and present. The museum focuses on original research by conducting two to three temporary exhibitions annually, encouraging visitors to re-examine their surroundings and rediscover their neighbourhoods. Collaborating with local organisations and communities, the museum uncovers fascinating stories, memories, legends, and histories that reveal the unique character of the city.

Connecting with Krasnucha

Two years ago, after completing a project in one district, the museum selected a new area for its next exhibition, colloquially known as Krasnucha. Krasnucha, part of a larger district, is known for being somewhat dangerous and marginalised, a perception laden with stereotypes. To create a cohesive presence in Krasnucha, the museum began working with local organisations, including the Jonas Basanavičius Gymnasium High School.

This outreach led to an exciting partnership with the school, which suggested a hands-on project to engage students deeply: creating an exhibition. The museum embraced this idea, embarking on a nine-month project where students learned how exhibitions are made, culminating in a display at Vilnius City Museum.

The Project Takes Shape

Trust was a cornerstone of this project. The museum trusted the students and the school, which, in turn, reciprocated that trust. The project began with a meet-up at the museum, attended by over 20 students. Despite most students not living in Krasnucha, they had many preconceived notions about the area—grim, grey, and reminiscent of Soviet times. This insight shifted the project’s focus to deeply engaging students with the neighbourhood.

Throughout the project, monthly meetings were held at the museum or school. Students learned various research methods, conducted interviews, transcribed them ethically, created photo and video diaries, and performed observation tasks. They were encouraged to choose their preferred mediums—writing poems, drawing, painting graffiti, or making videos. They met with curators, architects, and designers, working in teams and collaborating with students from the Vilnius Academy of Arts on the exhibition’s graphic design. This process taught them teamwork, deadline management, and effective communication.

Student Reflections

The project had a significant impact on the participating students. Mantė Vaičiūtė, one of the project members, found it challenging yet rewarding:

Even though it was pretty hard to time with school and everything else going on, it was a really family-like environment and a cool, creative environment that I enjoyed. The project was great because it gave me practice in teamwork, time management, creativity, and technical skills like video editing and drawing.

Ignas, another participant, enjoyed gathering information for the exhibition despite the challenges:

The information wasn’t always smooth to collect, but it was the most interesting part. My biggest challenge was getting to talk to people, but working with like-minded peers was refreshing and enjoyable.

Austėja, who contributed by taking pictures and transcribing audio, noted a shift in her perception of Krasnucha:

My perspective on Krasnucha evolved throughout the project. Each time I saw something new, it changed my picture of the district. The project was challenging but rewarding.

Exhibition Success

The exhibition’s opening in June attracted thousands of visitors over three months. The museum gave the student creators a secret password, “”balandėliai”” (little pigeons), for free entry to the exhibition with their families and friends. This gesture led to an influx of younger audiences, eager to see the exhibition and proud of their peers’ work.

In September, over 500 students from the school visited the exhibition, guided by the young curators. The students shared that the exhibition, created by their peers, resonated more with them due to its relatable vocabulary, themes, and visuals.

Lessons Learned

This project was a learning experience for the students and the Vilnius City Museum. The museum learned the value of collaboration with schools and the importance of trusting teenagers, allowing them to explore and understand that learning extends beyond classroom walls. The museum empowered them as decision-makers and valid consultants in the educational process by building a less hierarchical environment, fostering trust, and including teenagers in every step.

Since the project’s end, the school and students have worked with the museum on other projects, consulting on learning materials, testing workshops, and developing interactives. Building on this experience, the museum is now developing an exhibition with Roma youth in Vilnius.

The Vilnius City Museum’s Museum’s approach demonstrates that engaging teenagers is possible and can be incredibly rewarding for both the students and the museum. By listening to their insights, fostering collaboration, and providing opportunities for hands-on learning, museums can become spaces where young people feel welcome, valued, and inspired.