In May, “Open House Vilnius” Will Once Again Invite Visitors to Explore Architecture

On May 10–11, Vilnius will host the 11th Open House Vilnius festival, organized by the Architecture Fund. Once again, the event will invite residents and visitors to explore architecture through free tours of unique buildings that are usually closed to the public. Over 50 sites will open their doors, and popular meetings with the city’s creators – a hit from last year – will return. A new addition to the program will be four guided stories about green urban spaces.

This year’s festival theme is “Future Heritage,” which encourages us to see today’s architecture as tomorrow’s history. According to project leader Solveiga Buoželytė, the theme invites a critical exploration of how we define the value and uniqueness of buildings, public spaces, and even infrastructure.

“The Future Heritage theme urges us to reflect on which contemporary architectural decisions will become the heritage of future generations, and how our values, lifestyles, and challenges shape the urban environment. While existing heritage is often seen as fixed, each generation must rediscover what elements are most meaningful to them. It’s fascinating to think how the works we create and speak about today for future generations will reflect our perspectives on value, global challenges, and what will ultimately endure,” says Buoželytė.

This year’s visual identity, which reflects the theme, was created by graphic designer and animator Liudas Barkauskas.

Visitors will have access to 50 locations this year, including 12 newcomers. After last year’s success, the festival will again open the doors of the city’s creators – architects, urbanists, and city planners – allowing for direct conversations about the ideas and approaches behind their projects.

For the first time, the festival program will also include green urban areas – green zones that are becoming a key part of contemporary urban architecture.

According to program coordinators Emilija Deksnytė and Rūta Gaškauskaitė, while green spaces are publicly accessible, guided tours will offer a deeper understanding of why they were designed the way they are and reveal fascinating details we often overlook when simply passing by.

“Today, cities are no longer made up solely of buildings – green spaces are playing an increasingly important role. When we talk about public spaces, we’re also talking about community, health, and a climate-resilient city. So it’s only natural that the architecture festival expands into natural architecture,” says E. Deksnytė.

During the festival weekend, tours of green urban spaces will take place in Bernardinai Garden, the Japanese garden Sei Shin En, the Business Garden Vilnius complex, and in Naujamiestis, where the transformation of the district’s streets will be presented.

Tours will be led by volunteer guides – a vital part of the festival’s success. This year, nearly 500 volunteers will participate.

In May, Open House Vilnius visitors will be able to meet 12 city creators, experience architecture through various artistic activities and performances, and choose from tours of more than 50 sites. Tours will be conducted in Lithuanian, English, and Ukrainian. All tours are free of charge and operate on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Open House weekend is organized by the Architecture Fund. Open House Vilnius is part of the Open House Worldwide network, which connects over 50 cities globally. The festival is also part of the Open House Europecollaboration project, co-funded by the European Union. The event is partially funded by the Vilnius City Municipality.