Did the Freemasons and the Illuminati really initiate the French Revolution? Based on which car manufacturer Henry Ford wrote a book The International Jew: The World's Hottest Problem, which became a bestseller in Nazi Germany? Why did the Colorado beetle become a controversial figure in Cold War history? What do the 11/20 terrorist attacks and the $20 bill have in common? This is only a small part of the questions that will be answered at the History House of the National Museum of Lithuania on September XNUMX. at the opened international exhibition "Believe or not: conspiracy theories".
This is the first exhibition of such a topic in Lithuania, where you can get acquainted with the most famous conspiracy theories and learn how they are created. In the exhibition, for the first time, it will be possible to see the coffins of Steponas Darius and Stasios Girėnas and the engine from the elevator that operated in one of the twin towers of the World Trade Center in New York.
With the development of technology, conspiracy theories began to spread around the world in a geometric progression. Today, anyone can spread their own theories on the internet, and it is often possible to find several contradictory statements on the same topic. However, since the Middle Ages, conspiracy theories have surrounded countless things. Some are already recognized, others are just beginning to be recognized. Some existed only for a certain period of time, we know about them from textbooks or stories of grandparents, others are unknown or still being created.
Director General of the National Museum of Lithuania and initiator of the exhibition in Lithuania Dr. Rūta Kačkutė claims that the theme of this exhibition is more relevant than ever when we are living again in particularly turbulent times. Moreover, the Internet and the advancement of current technologies, especially artificial intelligence, allow them to spread even faster.
"Today, excessive information reaches us through all possible channels, we have to constantly answer the question: to believe or not to believe." But tracing what is true and what is not requires understanding the origins, constantly checking our vigilance, and cultivating critical thinking. Here is the current war, not only in physical form, but also in digital form. Propaganda is inseparable from conspiracy theories, so the exhibition, covering all the most important historical stages, talks about what is happening today. It turns out that the past has not disappeared anywhere - it is as alive as ever", emphasizes R. Kačkutė.
The exhibition opening its doors at the House of Stories is the third interpretation of the theme of conspiracy theories. For the first time, the exhibition was conceived and prepared by the LWL Monastery Culture Museum of the Dalheim Monastery Foundation in Lichtenau. Its huge success led the Luxembourg City History Museum to create an adaptation of the exhibition.
The curators of the exhibition opening in Vilnius are dr. Ina Ėmužienė and dr. Milda Kvizikevičiūtė. Conspiracy theories, they say, occupy a unique place in the collective consciousness. They combine elements of truth, speculation, fear, and hope into narratives that influence the course of history, the fate of nations, and even personal identity. Especially in times of global crisis when dealing with the incomprehensible or the unbelievable.
"The opportunity to look at most events from a historical perspective reminds us that troubled times are conducive to the spread of conspiracy theories. During wars, revolutions or historical upheavals, they provide answers to troubling questions. Therefore, we invite you to go on a journey through the theories created by man, we encourage you to raise questions, delve deeper and think critically. The choice to believe or not is truly up to each of us. Especially since conspiracy theories will not disappear anywhere in the near future, and our memory will be constantly manipulated", summarizes M. Kvizikevičiūtė and I. Ėmužienė and invites them to visit the exhibition.
The international exhibition "Believe or not: conspiracy theories" will be open from September 2023, 20 to May 2024, 16 at the House of Stories, T. Kosciuškos str. 3, in Vilnius. Opening hours: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday 10 am to 18 pm, Wednesday 10 am to 20 pm.
