Ona and Peliksas Bugailiškis House Opens Its Doors in Šiauliai for European Heritage Days

On 23 September 2026, a European Heritage Days event took place at the Ona and Peliksas Bugailiškis House in Šiauliai. Visitors had the opportunity to learn about the life and work of Peliksas Bugailiškis, one of the most prominent figures in the cultural life of Šiauliai, and to visit the house where he lived and worked. Virginija Šiukščienė, Deputy Director of the Šiauliai “Aušra” Museum, introduced visitors to his personality, life and achievements.
Organised by the Šiauliai Cultural Centre. Partner – Šiauliai “Aušra” Museum.

European Heritage Days is an annual initiative during which cultural heritage sites across Europe, including Lithuania, open their doors to the public. Its main aim is to encourage society, especially young people, to take an interest in the cultural heritage of their local area, their country and Europe as a whole, to foster pride in and respect for this heritage, and to draw attention to the need to preserve it for future generations. Every September, hundreds of free events take place throughout Lithuania, including Šiauliai: guided walks, meetings with archaeologists, researchers, architects, art historians and historians, as well as educational activities and creative workshops.

Peliksas Bugailiškis (1883–1965) was one of the most prominent Lithuanian figures of the first half of the 20th century – a lawyer, press worker, public figure and advocate of museum development. After graduating from St Petersburg University in 1909, he pursued a career in law: in 1918, he was appointed the first justice of the peace of independent Lithuania in Šiauliai and later served as President of the Šiauliai and Vilnius Regional Courts. Alongside his legal career, P. Bugailiškis was actively involved in culture and the press – he edited the first legal Lithuanian newspaper “Lietuvių laikraštis”, contributed to other publications of the period and participated in the Lithuanian national movement. However, he left his most significant legacy in the fields of local history and museology: the Šiauliai “Aušra” Museum, established on his initiative on 11 March 1923, became one of Lithuania’s most important centres for the study of regional history and culture. P. Bugailiškis organised local history expeditions, brought together teachers and young people to work on preserving cultural heritage, and was one of the first in Lithuania to systematically address issues related to museology and the protection of cultural monuments.

The house where Peliksas Bugailiškis lived with his wife Ona from 1928 to 1945 is now part of the P. Bugailiškis Ethnology Centre of the Šiauliai Cultural Centre, with the aim of developing it as a vibrant cultural space. Displays on the ground floor introduce visitors to the life and work of P. Bugailiškis, while the house’s authentic environment offers a sense of the atmosphere in which cultural initiatives took shape. During the event, Virginija Šiukščienė, Deputy Director of the Šiauliai “Aušra” Museum, shared fascinating stories and little-known facts about this cultural figure. Speaking to those gathered at the event, she revealed: “His wife Ona was an educator and created all the conditions necessary for Peliksas Bugailiškis to devote his entire life to his professional work and public activities – but certainly not to the household. It was Bugailiškienė who took care of the construction of this house.”

Visitors also had the opportunity to see the straw garden exhibition “Under the Golden Gardens” at the P. Bugailiškis Ethnology Centre. The exhibition features 37 straw gardens created by 24 artists from different regions of Lithuania. Each is distinguished by its unique form, structure and character – from modest, small compositions to impressively large gardens. These works reveal not only the diversity of the tradition but also its ability to adapt to contemporary creative exploration. The exhibition will be open until 31 October 2026.

As part of European Heritage Days, visitors could also see works by three artists from one family – Aleksandra, Adomas and Marijus Jacovskis – exhibited at Gallery “Laiptai”. Aleksandra Jacovskytė’s photographs and drawings reflect the artist’s long-standing relationship with Vilnius and its people. The dominant theme in Adomas Jacovskis’ paintings is the human face and figure, while in Marijus Jacovskis’ work, the human image becomes a starting point for reflecting on self-discovery and emotional experience. The exhibition will be open until 3 October.

Photo by Liubov Yarmoshenko.

For further information, please contact Kristina Alseikė, Event Organiser at the Exhibitions Department of the Šiauliai Cultural Centre, tel. +370 658 80 507, email kristina.alseike@siauliukc.lt.