The Ninth Fort Museum, or I Fortas, is a museum and memorial site in Kaunas, at Žemaičių pl. 73. Its history spans the fort’s military beginnings, its use as a prison and transfer point, and the mass killings that took place there during the Nazi occupation.
You can visit the memorial park without a museum ticket, while exhibitions and guided tours have separate admission details. The guide below covers the site’s history, seasonal hours, tickets and practical planning.
- Location: Žemaičių pl. 73, LT-47435, Kaunas.
- Opening pattern: Closed Mondays; hours vary between the colder and warmer parts of the year.
- Adult admission: €8; reduced tickets and free-entry categories are available.
- Getting there: The museum names three nearby bus stops: “9-ojo forto muziejus,” “Radviliškio gatvė” and “Devintojo forto muziejus.”
The Ninth Fort’s history begins with its military role
The Ninth Fort was built in 1913 as a defensive fortification. In interwar Lithuania, it became a branch of Kaunas Hard Labour Prison. During the first Soviet occupation, it served as a transfer point for NKVD prisoners sent to camps.
During the Nazi occupation, tens of thousands of people were killed at the fort. The museum’s visiting rules give an approximate figure of 50,000 people killed there from 1941 to 1944. A museum opened at the site in 1959 to commemorate these tragic events.
The site’s history makes the fort more than a surviving military structure: it is also a place of remembrance. You can visit the memorial park separately from the museum exhibitions, which require a ticket.
Museum exhibitions and the memorial grounds offer different ways to visit
The memorial park is open for walking and viewing its works of art; you do not need a museum ticket for that. A visitor ticket is required to enter the museum exhibitions.
The underground communication galleries in the Defensive Wall can only be visited on a guided tour or educational activity with museum staff. Independent visits to the galleries are not allowed. Guided tours are conducted in Lithuanian, English and Russian.
The museum’s thematic tours cover the Defensive Wall underground galleries, the history of the Ninth Fort, and Kaunas Fortress from 1879 to 1940. The underground tour lasts 45 minutes, the Ninth Fort history tour lasts 70 minutes, and the Kaunas Fortress tour lasts 1 hour 30 minutes. The price is €20 per group, in addition to entrance tickets.
The museum’s homepage gives details of weekend organised tours. Each tour has a maximum of 25 participants, and advance booking is not available; the first person to purchase a ticket gets priority to join.
Opening hours and tickets depend on the season
The museum is closed on Mondays throughout the year. From October 1 through March 31, it is open Tuesday to Sunday from 09:00 to 17:00. From April 1 through September 30, it is open Tuesday to Friday from 09:00 to 17:00, and on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 to 18:00.
The museum is closed on public holidays, and it closes one hour earlier than usual on the eve of a public holiday. The last visitors are admitted 30 minutes before closing, so plan to arrive with enough time for entry. Hours and ticket details can change; check the official site before you go.
Tickets are sold at the museum ticket office. Adult admission is €8. A family ticket costs €8 for one adult plus €2 for each child.
The reduced fee is €4 for pupils, full-time students with valid ID and pensioners under age 80, among other eligible groups. Children under school age, people with disabilities and one accompanying person, and people over 80 are among those admitted free.
Admission is free for everyone on the last Sunday of each month. Free tickets for that day are available at the ticket office at Žemaičių pl. 73.
How do you get from Kaunas Old Town to the Ninth Fort Museum?
For an Old Town starting point, Daugirdas Old City Hotel places you in the city before you head to the museum, which is not a walkable Old Town stop.
If you are arranging a broader city visit, museums in Kaunas can help you pair the fort with other museum stops.
The museum names three nearby bus stops: “9-ojo forto muziejus,” “Radviliškio gatvė” and “Devintojo forto muziejus.” Check the stop names when planning your bus journey, and allow time for the trip across the city.
For a tighter schedule, the one-day Kaunas itinerary focuses on an Old Town-based day.
Allow time for the exhibitions, grounds and any tour
How long to spend depends on what you plan to see. A guided tour alone takes 45 minutes, 70 minutes or 1 hour 30 minutes, depending on the subject; add time if you also want to visit the exhibitions and walk through the memorial park.
Wear comfortable footwear and dress warmly: it can be cool inside the museum. Dogs and other pets are not allowed in the memorial complex or museum.
FAQs
Do you need a ticket to visit the Ninth Fort memorial park?
No. You may walk in the memorial park and see its works of art without a museum ticket. The exhibitions require a visitor ticket.
Can you visit the underground galleries without a guide?
No. The Defensive Wall’s underground communication galleries are accessible only on a guided tour or educational activity with museum staff.
Are tickets available at the museum?
Yes. Tickets are sold at the museum ticket office at Žemaičių pl. 73.
Is the museum open on Mondays?
No. The museum is closed on Mondays year-round, and it is also closed on public holidays.