Kupiškis: Discover culture and experiences

The Kupiškis Museum is housed in a former parish school building dating from 1823. Its permanent exhibitions show rural households of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as well as Kupiškis wedding traditions.

At Laurynas Gucevičius Square, a musical fountain brings together water, light and music. During a performance, its jets rise up to eight metres; the fountain was created in 2019 when the square was redesigned.

The museum’s permanent exhibitions offer a glimpse into rural daily life and wedding traditions. The collection preserved by the museum in the broader destination of Kupiškio rajono savivaldybė also includes traditional Lithuanian clothing and accessories dating from the 19th century to the first half of the 20th century. It also features aurochs horns nearly 4,000 years old, considered the largest found in Lithuania.

The Kupiškis Public Library reflects a different historical use: since 1950, it has been housed in a former Jewish synagogue. Its holdings include local history materials, manuscripts and photographs. The town thus offers both exhibition spaces and a library with local history collections as different cultural points of interest.

Kupiškis street art includes Henrikas Orakauskas’ works “Kupiškėnai wedding” and “Rainbow horse”. In the broader destination of Kupiškio rajono savivaldybė, an open-air museum trail in Kupiškis also presents more than two dozen sculptures by the artist. At the most visited sculptures, information boards with QR codes explain the works; special programmes provide a short introduction on a mobile device in the artist’s own voice. As the trail’s presentation and the availability of the QR service may change, it is worth checking both before your visit.

The Stone Sculpture Park of Vytautas Jasinskas offers another way to discover sculpture: the owner invites visitors to view the works in his yard. Check access in advance before planning your visit.

Those interested in sports history can visit a permanent exhibition on Ritinis at the Kupiškis District Physical Education and Sports Center, featuring awards and other exhibits. The center is open on weekdays; weekend visits are by prior arrangement. Be sure to arrange your visit in advance.

The Kupiškis Reservoir is a defining landscape feature of the broader destination of Kupiškio rajono savivaldybė. The reservoir was formed in 1984 when the Lėvuo River was dammed; it covers 828 hectares and is about 25 kilometres long. Various sporting events are held there every year, including regattas, water formula races and triathlon competitions. Ice-fishing competitions and summer festivals are also held. If you want to plan around a particular event, check its dates separately.

For a nature outing, consider the approximately 1.4-kilometre-long “Į girią” nature trail in Šimoniai Forest. In the broader destination of Kupiškio rajono savivaldybė, it features shelters, a fire pit, benches, information boards and educational games for children, and borders the Iženas telmological reserve. History enthusiasts can visit Kupiškis, or Aukštupėnai, Hillfort, located right by Kupiškis on the left bank of the Lėvuo. Historians believe that a wooden community castle or refuge once stood there and that the earliest beginnings of the later town were located there. The cautious nature of this interpretation is part of the site’s history.

Regional culture and cuisine offer their own distinctive touches: in the broader destination of Kupiškio rajono savivaldybė, Adomynė Manor is known for the certified Lithuanian Cultural Heritage pastries called Adomynė “Pagrabinės”, which are baked exclusively there.

Discover more destinations: Panevėžys, Kazliškio Seniūnija, Puožas, Šilagalys, Biržai, Rokiškis, Krekenavos Seniūnija and Naciūnai.

What do the permanent exhibitions at the Kupiškis Museum show?

They focus on rural households of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as well as Kupiškis wedding traditions.

What does the musical fountain at Laurynas Gucevičius Square bring together?

It brings together water, light and music. During a performance, the water jets reach a height of up to eight metres.

When can you visit the Ritinis exhibition?

The Physical Education and Sports Center is open on weekdays. Weekend visits are by prior arrangement; confirm your visit in advance.

For the broader travel overview: Panevėžys County.