On 20 August, the Vilnius City Museum’s Centre for Wooden Architecture will open the exhibition Living City, which looks at Vilnius as a green, living, ever-growing and ever-changing organism.

The Living City exhibition has been inspired by the title of European Green Capital for Vilnius this year. This title is awarded to cities that are active in environmental protection and become an inspiration to others. Cities that have received the European Green Capital Award are not only committed to reducing pollution, but also to changing habits, creating long-term, environmentally friendly solutions and inviting citizens to be part of the change.

“Each of us is a living cell in a living city. The way we move and the choices we make determine the direction in which the city grows. A green city is not just about more trees or more cycle paths. It’s about attitude, culture, respect for the environment and each other. Today we are creating the Vilnius we want to live in tomorrow, Jurga Pociūtė-Mikūtienė, project manager of “Vilnius – European Green Capital 2025”, noted.

Sixteen European cities have already won the title since 2010, and in 2026, the Portuguese city of Guimarães will take over from Vilnius as the European Green Capital.

Visions for a Green City of the Future

During the Living City exhibition, visitors will be invited to explore the various initiatives of Vilnius and other European Green Capitals and get a closer look at what makes Vilnius a sustainable, vibrant and lively city.

Indrė Užuotaitė, Head of the Centre for Wooden Architecture, is delighted to have the opportunity to present the exhibition in this wooden unit of the Vilnius City Museum. “The theme of a green and lively city is an important one for the Centre for Wooden Architecture, and we are talking about modern eco-friendly solutions in our permanent exhibition, Ms Užuotaitė said. “This exhibition is a great opportunity to remember that sustainable solutions go beyond the reuse of historic buildings and their elements, which is the main focus of our centre, but affect and improve city life in many different ways.”

The Living City exhibition will be complemented by a specially prepared educational programme, which will not only allow visitors to fill in the interactive map and dream about the city of the future, but also to explore and learn more about the local biodiversity and taste the urban honey produced in various European green capitals.

The opening evening of the exhibition will take place on 20 August at the Wooden Architecture Centre (Polocko St. 52, Vilnius), with a special programme of the city’s radio station, Radio Vilnius, from 4 pm to 9 pm in the courtyard.

The exhibition Living City will run from 20 August 2025 to 11 January 2026.

The organiser of the exhibition is the Centre for Wooden Architecture of Vilnius City Museum, its sponsor and partner is Vilnius City Municipality project “Vilnius – European Green Capital 2025”.

About the Vilnius Museum Centre for Wooden Architecture

The Wooden Architecture Centre of the Vilnius City Museum is located in a restored cultural heritage object, a wooden building in Užupis residential area, at 52 Polocko Street, Vilnius. The Centre for Wooden Architecture speaks about wooden architecture in the city— its heritage, crafts and technologies, modern sustainable and ecological solutions, and promotes a sustainable approach to urban living.