In short

The Old Crafts Workshop is a place to learn, teach, share and spread old craft traditions and find new ways for forgotten crafts to be implemented into modern-day life.

It's an opportunity to connect broken threads and rediscover what's old and time-tested. This idea, long matured in the minds of the "Dvaro Meistrai" Craftsmen's Club, has finally taken shape, and together with the Vilnius Association of Fine Crafts, begins the search for old crafts in Vilnius Old Town.

Craftspeople are already buzzing around the workshops, creating their environment based on archaeological, written and fine art sources. Each craftsperson strives to convey the subtleties of the craft in the most detailed manner, exhibiting materials, tools and workflow processes.

The workshop spaces are eloquent, even when the craftspeople are not in them. These are constantly changing and renewing workspaces that you need to see more than once. Guests are invited to come in, communicate, ask questions, learn, and teach so that all of us would become part of Old Vilnius and its true inhabitants.

Brief History

The workshops offer a wide range of lectures, tours, educational activities and training for adults, students, children, youth and guests from abroad.
During the excursions, visitors are introduced to the historical environment of Old Craft Workshops. Plus, there are permanent exhibitions of historical crafts, and visitors can observe and participate in the process of craftwork.

The workshops exhibit tools, products and work processes. The workshops present the history of craftsmanship in Vilnius, from the very first letters of Gediminas where he invited craftsmen from around Europe to set up shop in the city. So it's a great opportunity for people to get acquainted with and feel part of the story of old Vilnius, and take a piece of history with them.

Baltic, ethnographic and contemporary crafts are also on display at the workshop. Educational activities and training will take you into the world of various crafts. You can choose from type of craft or a specific historical period and learn how to work with old, historical tools or apply modern craft techniques.

The Old Crafts Workshop also sells crafts.