What Came Before the Laser? This August, the House of Histories Invites Visitors to Discover Historical Technologies

What Came Before the Laser? This August, the House of Histories Invites Visitors to Discover Historical Technologies 2026 08 06 While a new exhibition on Lithuania’s high-tech sector is being prepared at the National Museum of Lithuania’s House of Histories, visitors are invited this August to turn their attention to inventions from a much earlier era. According to ethnologist and House of Histories educator Audronė Daraškevičienė, even the most seemingly simple technological innovations, such as the spindle, hoe, or axe, fundamentally transformed human life in their time. Throughout August, interactive tours will be held in the House of Histories’ ethnographic collections storage facility, inviting visitors to explore historical technologies used in Lithuania before the early twentieth century and to gain insight into the traditional worldview that accompanied them. What Came Before the Laser? According to Audronė Daraškevičienė, understanding technology is not only about looking toward the future but also about remembering older inventions that once transformed everyday life. “Today, technological progress is most often associated with lasers, artificial intelligence, and biotechnology. Yet every era has had its own technological revolutions. Tools that may seem simple at first glance, such as millstones, the ard plough, chisels, drills, saws, spindles, and spinning wheels, were highly significant inventions in their time. They fundamentally changed productivity and expanded people’s ability to provide themselves with food, clothing, and shelter,” says the ethnologist. In the interactive tour “Historical Technologies That Changed the World”, visitors will explore tools preserved in the ethnographic collections storage facility and discover that some historical technologies remained virtually unchanged for thousands of years, until more advanced alternatives were eventually developed. According to the educator, an important part of the tour is the opportunity not only to hear about these technologies but also to try some of the historical tools firsthand. “We will try spinning with a spindle, just as people in Lithuania did from the Neolithic period until the early twentieth century. When you can not only see a tool but also use it yourself, it becomes much easier to understand the role it played in people’s lives,” she notes. How Was the World Explained in Traditional Culture? This August, the House of Histories will focus not only on historical technologies. The guided tour “Surrounded by Spirits”, held in the ethnographic collections’ storage facility, invites visitors to explore traditional worldviews. According to Audronė Daraškevičienė, while modern people generally rely on science to explain the world around them, many everyday phenomena were understood quite differently in Lithuanian folk culture until the early twentieth century. “In traditional culture, many household objects served not only practical purposes but also carried symbolic and mystical meanings. Decorative roof finials in the shape of horses were believed to protect homes from evil spirits. A towel rack hanging in the sacred corner of the house was thought to be a place where the souls of the deceased could descend. Almost every corner of a traditional home was associated with supernatural beings believed to be either beneficial or harmful to people,” explains the educator. The tour offers visitors an opportunity to discover how people in the past interpreted the world around them, how beliefs were reflected in everyday objects, and how traditional culture intertwined practical life with spiritual and symbolic meanings. During the tour, visitors will explore how people felt, thought, and behaved in a world permeated by the presence of the supernatural. They will learn how individuals sought to gain the favour of otherworldly beings and protect themselves from those believed to be less benevolent toward humans. Participants will discover the magical practices used to invoke supernatural powers and how these forces were believed to influence the course of events in various aspects of life, including farming, finances, healing, love, and many other areas. The tour offers a unique opportunity to gain insight into the beliefs and customs that shaped everyday life in traditional Lithuanian society and to better understand how people once interpreted and navigated the world around them. Activities for Young Visitors The House of Histories has not forgotten its youngest visitors this August. A special family tour, “Kaukas and Other Mythical Creatures”, has been created for children and their families. The programme combines insights into both historical technologies and traditional worldviews, presenting them through the language of folktales and legends. Young visitors will be introduced to kaukai (household spirits), aitvarai, laumės (fairy-like beings), devils, and other characters from Lithuanian folklore. “This way of presenting information is highly engaging for children and deeply meaningful. By listening to folktales and legends, children not only become acquainted with various aspects of intangible cultural heritage but also can explore important universal themes. After all, folktales and legends address timeless subjects such as overcoming fear, making choices, the struggle between good and evil, and the course of human destiny. These themes remain just as relevant today,” says Audronė Daraškevičienė. This family tour is also included in the Family Weekend programme, which will take place at the House of Histories on 8 August. On Saturday, children and their families will be able to enjoy a wide range of activities, including educational sessions, creative workshops, games, and the interactive musical performance for children, “The Story of the Grasshopper.” All these activities are united by the theme of Žolinė (the Feast of the Assumption) and plants, as Žolinė traditionally marks the culmination of summer in the Lithuanian folk calendar. In the lead-up to Žolinė, the House of Histories will also host traditional straw garden-making workshops. According to Audronė Daraškevičienė, this is a time to celebrate the gifts that Mother Earth has bestowed during the year. “What could be more fitting than creating a traditional straw garden to mark the occasion? Let it hang and gently turn beneath the ceiling of your home as a sign of gratitude for the blooming meadows, ripening grain fields, and the buzzing of bees throughout the summer. These workshops are designed for beginners. Participants will learn how to prepare straw and master the basic principles of straw garden-making, create a small decorative straw garden of their own, and view the remarkable collection of traditional straw gardens on display in the ethnographic collections’ storage facility,” invites the ethnologist. More information about the activities taking place at the House of Histories in August: click here.