History

In 1988, when the first oaks were being planted in the Oakery of the National Revival of Lithuania, the initiative group from Vilnius (i.e. Vygandas Caplikas, Algimantas Kepezenas, Kestutis Labanauskas, Vitalius Stepulis, and Romualdas Survila) had an idea to reconstruct the farmstead of the parents of Jonas Basanavicius in his birthplace. In 1989, architect Zivile Macioniene prepared the farmstead reconstruction project. In 1991, a residential house and barn were restored, and the exposition revealing the life and activities of Jonas Basanavicius was launched. Old household appliances and implements were being collected in the neighbourhoods of Ozkabaliai and Bartninkai.

In 1995, one more farmstead building – a cowshed – was reconstructed. In 1996, following the rebuilding of a stackyard and cellar, the birthplace of Jonas Basanavicius together with the Oakery of the National Revival of Lithuania were registered with the Immovable Cultural Property Register of the Republic of Lithuania. After two years, when a pigsty was restored, only an oil mill and a bathhouse remained unreconstructed.

The Municipality of Vilkaviskis District, the Museum of Vilkaviskis Region and the first historian of the farmstead and the Revival Oakery Romanas Raulynaitis with his family took care of both the restored farmstead of Jonas Basanavicius and a nearby developing Oakery of the National Revival of Lithuania. Subsequently, the family of Vilma and Antanas Klimai looked after the farmstead.

In 2006, the farmstead and the Oakery were transferred into the hands of the Marijampole county governor and the budgetary institution called the Farmstead - Museum of Jonas Basanavicius was established.

In 2010, the memorial Farmstead – Museum of Jonas Basanavicius together with the Oakery was assigned to the National Museum of Lithuania. Currently, this division of the National Museum of Lithuania is called the Birthplace of Jonas Basanavicius and the Oakery of the National Revival of Lithuania.