There are many different ways to get to know Šiauliai: Art Nouveau and a rose garden at the Chaimas Frenkelis Villa, the history of photography, and an ecological trail by Lake Talkša. When planning your visit, you can decide whether architecture, visual culture or a path along the lakeshore is of particular interest to you.

Art Nouveau, gardens and family history

The Chaimas Frenkelis Villa is an Art Nouveau building dating from the early 20th century. Its authentic interior is distinguished by wood panelling and elaborate stucco decorations. These details bring its architectural focus to life: alongside its classification as an Art Nouveau building, the interior design and its characteristic materials are also part of the house’s identity. If you are interested in architecture, the villa offers a different thematic perspective from a collection or an outdoor trail.

The villa is accompanied by an Art Nouveau-style park open to visitors. A rose garden was established there in 2018, and almost 2,000 roses grow in it. The garden adds a horticultural dimension to the view of the building; the rose bed is not simply a general reference to the park, but a specifically named part of the site. The architecture and garden therefore offer two related but distinct points of interest for your visit.

The “Fabrikantai Frenkeliai” exhibition is also located in the Chaimas Frenkelis Villa. It explores the history of two generations of the Frenkelis family and the Jewish community of Šiauliai. This takes you from the building and its design to family and community history. The Chaimas Frenkelis Villa Museum also offers guided tours and themed educational activities. If you are planning your visit around one of these offerings, check the current arrangements directly with the museum.

Photography as a distinct focus

The Fotografijos muziejus preserves a collection of almost 150,000 exhibits and museum objects. It covers Lithuania’s visual heritage, as well as photographic technology and equipment, prints and documents. Its themes therefore range from images and their preservation to the technical and documentary aspects of photography. The approximate size of the collection gives an idea of its breadth, without indicating which individual objects are on view during a visit.

Unlike the villa, the focus here is not on an Art Nouveau building or the history of a family and community, but on photography and visual heritage. This can help you choose: are you most interested in the architecture of a particular house, the history of the Frenkelis family and the Jewish community, or photography in its various forms? These themes give Šiauliai several clearly distinct cultural perspectives.

An ecological trail by Lake Talkša

The Talkša Ecological Trail starts on the shore of Lake Talkša. This adds a trail as a distinct focus alongside the buildings, interiors and collections. Its starting point is clearly specified: the lakeshore. If you would like to include a nature experience along a route as well as cultural attractions in your trip, you can consider this trail when choosing what interests you.

The attractions differ mainly in what they draw your attention to: the villa brings together Art Nouveau architecture, interiors, a garden and history; the Fotografijos muziejus is devoted to visual heritage and the many facets of photography; and the Talkša Ecological Trail focuses on a lakeside route. This comparison can help you decide which themes matter most to you during your stay in Šiauliai, without turning the different places into a fixed itinerary.

For an overview of the wider trip: Šiauliai District.