In Kretinga you will  find exotics, fun and things that you could never find anywhere else.

Hedgehog Army

Everything can be a collection; however, not every private collection is available to the public. This collection made by Birute and Vaidotas Kisieliai, consists of more than 800 decorative hedgehogs and is available to everyone – to visit this unusual museum you will not even need tickets. To the owners it is the most important that people would be interested and the best reward – another decorative hedgehog for the collection, which already has about 800 hedgehogs: they are made from various materials: wood, amber, glass, ceramics. Another part of the exhibit – books, calendars and pictures with hedgehogs. Among the exhibits, you will find both custom and mass produced hedgehogs. Most of them were sent from foreign countries. During your visit in this unique Lithuanian museum, you can personally increase the exhibit.

Visiting Record Holders

In Vaineikiai Street, in Drabėnai a very special museum is being created. Daiva and Arūnas Dudenai, who are real textile masters, are fostering the exposition. This exposition is located in the 1st floor in the ‘owners house and has several hundreds of woven sashes and several hundreds more woven folk towels. This collection – one of the newest records in Lithuania. You will never find another such impressive collection, which has hundreds of patterns, colours, ornaments. Museum hosts will be happy to explain what is unique and special about different sashes for matchmakers, jubilees, funerals, they will also tell about special towels for special occasions, for bread bringing and for body covering. The exhibits were chosen carefully from flea markets also bought from people or simply given away – there are several sashes from interwar period. The passionate collectors of traditional sashes and towels promised that visitors would be able to bake bread in an ancient oven and to experience unique educations.

Stopping by,, The Owl House‘‘

In Barkeliai village, near Darbėnai, you can discover a tiny, almost untouched nature oasis. In this location ‘‘The Owl House‘‘ was established, which is probably the only such house in Lithuania. In this old homestead and its territory there are many nesting-boxes for owls and other birds which visitors can inspect. The homestead owner is planning to build a special owl aviary for injured birds. Many nesting-boxes for owls, small birds and bats were relocated into the woods. This nature oasis is surrounded by high grass, which is a real heaven for bugs. Only the most attentive visitors may see various bug species, rare butterflies. In this homestead, the nature is not cultivated: owners allow nature to prosper. In ‘‘The Owl House‘‘ you will not only find various nesting-boxes, owl paintings and sculptures, but also a real life of nature.

Her Majesty – Potato

Nowadays we can‘t even imagine a life without potatoes. However, once upon a time, there were even potato wars in Europe and the benefits of potatoes had to be proven first. Nasrėnai village in Kretinga district is special because the first potatoes in Samogitian region were planted there. This event took place 200 years ago. For this special occasion, a monument was built for her majesty potato in Nasrėnai village, in Motiejus Valancius Birthplace-Museum. Such monument is one of the first, if not the very first, such monument. In this monument, potato is depicted as a blissful creature and this monument is worth visiting, since this year bishops’ jubilee is commemorated. When you will see the monument for potato, you can visit the museum where you will recognize the unique personality – Motiejus Valančius. In case this acquaintance will not be enough, you might want to visit the nearby Kalnalis where you can see the church in which the future bishop was baptized. There are no more churches of this type left in the world.

The Chaos Kingdom

It is possible that Orvidai homested-museum is a unique object in the whole country. It has many names: it is often called museum of chaos, absurd and even nonsense. In a positive way, all names are correct.  In the Orvidai homestead-museum, Vilius Orvidas left his unique legacy and we can boldly say that nowhere in the world you will see such a neat mess. The wood, stone and metal exhibits and objects that were saved from melioration only from the first sight seems like a chaos kingdom, unsettling like a place from a horror movie. However, after spending some time in this artistic mess, visitors get a sense of self-esteem and orderliness. Everyone will appreciate this place:  kids, adults and even experienced travellers.

In the Little Dwarf World

Another great place, which will make anyone’s day special and help visitors to break away from routine, is a Dwarf Town. It is located near Akmena river, beside ‘’Vienkiemis’’. We doubt there is another place in Lithuania, where you can find a dwarf church, school, home, mill or bakery. The miniature village is built so realistically and nicely, that the visitors there will feel like giants and easily emote into this faerie life. In this town, even adults will wish to fit into the miniature buildings.

Under the Shade of Giants

If the dwarf town made you feel like a giant, then after travelling further in the Kretinga district you might feel the opposite, standing near the huge and unique objects. One of them is a magnificent windmill, standing proudly in Lazdininkai village. The windmill might not sound like something unique, after all, everyone saw one at least once. However, Lazdininkai windmill is the only one like this in Lithuania. It is a presidential windmill. Made more than two hundred years ago, it was brought from Vilnius, bought with hardly earned money in America and belonged to several owners, however, now it is back to its rightful owner. It belongs to President Gitanas Nauseda’s father. It is not always possible to step inside the windmill; however, it looks truly impressive in the scenery of Lithuanian fields.

Another giant is located in the old and charming Salantai town. In town’s park, which is left from mansion times, the biggest chestnut tree in Lithuania is growing. Its stem girth is 4,9 meters. This tree is an old giant, who witnessed the interesting past of Salantai town.

In the Paths of the Brave

During your visit to Salantai it is highly recommended to find Aurimas Rapalis – the inventor of ‚‘Partizanų troba‘‘ (Partisan house). This man, along with his history-cherishing friends will give you an amazing experience. Armed and uniformed Forest Brothers will greet visitors. They will tell you about freedom fights, the importance of their memory and the heroism of partisans. You will also have a chance to see authentic items, which once belonged to partisans, old photos of the Forest Brothers and to sing their songs. There you will experience an adventure that might not be possible even in the most exotic lands.