Value of the collections of old photographs at Lithuanian museums in documenting the restoration of Lithuanian statehood

In the publication the author presents short information about the international project Europeana Photography, which focuses on digitization and dissemination of photographs created during the first century of photography (1839–1939). The implementation of the project in Lithuania is coordinated and organized by the Lithuanian Art Museum. The author overviews the themes of the photographs preserved at the museums and the peculiarities of developing these collections. The article also presents short information on the themes of the photographs presented by the museum for the portable exhibition “The Elite of Lithuanian State Politics, Culture, Science, Society and its Environment from the second half of the 19th until the early 20th century”. The author notes that the collection of the historical photographs preserved at Lithuanian museums is constantly supplemented with new exhibits. During the research and identification process their value increases. All this makes it possible for us to have a better knowledge of ourselves and our history, while the others – to get to know us, to specify some pages of our history and understand what way it was that we took and which lead us to the Lithuania of today