AUCTION | MERKINĖ ORGAN

A charity art auction to support the restoration of the Merkinė organ.

The ceremonial event will take place on October 16, 2026, at the National Museum – Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania! This is truly a special moment, and we have no doubt that the auction will mark a significant breakthrough in the progress of the Merkinė organ project.

During the auction, visitors will have the opportunity to purchase works by renowned artists, discover exotic and unusual items, explore authentic works by creators from the Merkinė region, meet and talk with artists, and take part in a fun lottery.

During the intermission, guests will be able to enjoy complimentary drinks, accompanied by a performance by artist Mesijus. The auction will be hosted by traveller Vytaras Radzevičius, who will also keep the excitement going among the guests.

We invite artists to become part of the auction. Your donated artwork will become music!

Tickets for the event – coming soon! Please follow the updates HERE.

The Organ

An organ is a city’s principal instrument, expressing the flourishing of its culture and spirit. At present, the organ in Merkinė is in poor condition: the keys are worn out, the casing has been damaged by woodworm, the pipes, made from roofing sheet metal, are riddled with bullets from Soviet security forces, the bellows are worn out, and more.

We have consulted organ restoration professionals not only in Lithuania but also abroad. Most of them recommended not restoring this particular organ, but instead building a new one or purchasing a similar instrument from another church somewhere in Europe. We already have several craftsmen searching for suitable options in different countries.

This is already the third event in this auction series.

At present, we have raised approximately €27,000. This is a significant contribution to the project, but the final amount will depend on the instrument itself.

We thank everyone who is contributing, supporting, donating, creating and searching. We continue to raise funds and will inform you about new developments in the near future.

Merkinė – Vilnius

It was in Merkinė that Grand Duke Jogaila granted Vilnius the status of a Magdeburg-law city. The oldest church in southern Lithuania, located in the historic town of Merkinė, witnessed numerous Lithuanian rulers. It is believed that Lithuanian Grand Duke and King of Poland Władysław Vasa was laid in state in this very church. The reconstruction of the church was once funded by Mykolas Kazimieras Pacas himself.

The list of historical moments could go on and on. Today, the reconstruction of King Władysław Vasa’s house is also taking place in Merkinė, and the historical status of the building has inspired the nickname “Little Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania.”

Auction partners:

⊱ National Museum – Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania
⊱ Merkinė Cultural Centre
⊱ Merkinė Factory
⊱ Mc Merkinė
⊱ Koncertai Burmistrui
⊱ Merkinė Regional Museum
⊱ Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Merkinė

Those wishing to contribute financially to the project can do so by bank transfer:

VŠĮ TIKSLAS MERKINĖ
LT107300010165012396

Please indicate “MERKINĖ ORGAN RESTORATION” as the payment purpose.

Photo used in the visual: Deimantė Šuliauskaitė