Tolerance Center

In short

The Tolerance Centre is located in a building that has long been in Jewish hands. After World War I, a professional Jewish theatre was established here, and cultural and social events were held by other organizations. In 2001, this building became the Tolerance Centre.

The permanent exposition at the Tolerance Centre called “Lost World” is a cultural heritage of the Litvak art and history, revealing the talented potential of Lithuania, brutally exterminated by anti-Semitic genocide and communist repression. Ever-changing expositions, thematic events, and projects focus on the topics of open society culture awareness program, social-cultural dissemination, unique historical heritage, as well as still vulnerable human rights.

Brief History

Jews have a long history in Vilnius that dates back to the 14th century. At one point, Vilnius was known as the Jerusalem of the North. Today, Jewish cultural heritage in Vilnius is vast, even though the diaspora is not nearly as large as it once was. Situated in a former Jewish theatre, the Tolerance Centre is dedicated to preserving Jewish cultural heritage.

The Jewish Ancient Amateur Society founded Vilnius’ first Jewish museum in 1913. Then in 1944, a group of former ghetto prisoners and partisans set up a short-lived museum that became a gathering place for Holocaust survivors. In 1989, the Lithuanian State Jewish Museum was restored, bringing exhibits scattered around various institutions together in one place.

The museum was renamed in 1997 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the death of Vilnius Gaon. The Tolerance Centre regularly hosts exhibitions by famous Litvaks from all over the world and is also home to the Samuel Bak Museum.