Grūtas Park (Grūto Parkas)

Grūtas Park is one of the most unusual attractions in the Baltic states. After Lithuania regained independence in 1990, dozens of Soviet statues of Lenin, Stalin, and various communist heroes were torn down from public squares. Rather than destroying them, mushroom magnate Viliumas Malinauskas collected them and created this open-air museum near Druskininkai in 2001. The park spreads across 20 hectares of wetland forest, with wooden walkways connecting the exhibits. Over 80 Soviet sculptures and monuments are displayed among the pine trees, creating an eerie juxtaposition of totalitarian art and serene nature. Guard towers, barbed wire fences, and propaganda loudspeakers recreate the atmosphere of a Soviet-era camp. Beyond the sculptures, the park includes a museum of Soviet-era memorabilia, a playground with Soviet-style rides, and a café serving Soviet-era dishes. It's both darkly humorous and deeply thought-provoking — a place that forces visitors to confront a painful chapter of Lithuanian history through art and irony.