Exhibition "XIX - XX c. History of the Museum"

Attention! Due to COVID-19 the exhibition is closed until 10 December

The museum is housed in the building of the late 18 th or early 19 th century.

In the second half of 18th century, the city traders and industrialists started to build their residences in the outskirts at that time (now in Liepu street). The owner of the first plot (Liepu str. 12) in 1768 was German financier Hoffman, who sold it to an English trader Johan Simpson in the end of 18th century. Long time nothing was built on the plot. In 1820, J. Simpson built here a small residence (now it is the Clock Museum) according to the project of unknown English architect. Since 1855 the house was transferred to a new owner–doctor of medicine Johan Mutray. The house belonged to them until 1872. There is no any information, who was the owner until 1913. Since 1914, the house belonged to the banker Johan Hirschberger. At this time the house was reconstructed, the main building was extended. The banker together with his family lived there until 1924. On the second floor, there was established J. Hirschberger’s bank. In 2003 J. Hirschberger’s grandchildren Mrs. Sabine and Mr. Robert Kochs, now living in Germany, with pleasure agreed to tell about that period. They also donated interior and exterior photographs of the years 1913–1924, which are now exhibited in the museum halls on the first floor. In 1914, grandfather J. Hirschberger of Mrs. Sabine Koch with his family moved to Alexanderstrasse (now Liepu street). Mother Marianne of Mrs. Sabine was born there. There were eight children in this family: Johan, Katharina, Eva, Margaret, Georg, Gretel, Marianne and Hedda (twins). When Klaipeda region was connected to Lithuania the banker J. Hirschberger sold the house and moved to live to Germany. In address directories, it is mentioned that in 1924–1929 the owner of the house was a factory director Jozef Kraus, who also was the president of Landtag chamber in Klaipeda. In 1931 Lithuanian government transformed this house with the plot and founded the Land Bank. This bank had an objective to help Lithuanian peasants to get free of short-term credits. The bank supported not only peasants but also fishermans of Klaipeda region. In 1935 the street was denominated as alley of the president of Lithuania A. Smetona. In 1939 during annexation as the other Lithuanian institutions, the Land Bank was closed. In 1940 ’The Alley of the President A. Smetona’ was denominated to the name of Adolphus Hitler. Directories have records that in 1942 the building belonged to the “city community”. There was resident Mr. Doring registered. In 1945 there was Pioneer House hounded. In 1945 the street of “Adolphus Hitler” was denominated to the name of Russian writer M. Gorkij. In 1984 in M. Gorkij street 12 there was the Clock Museum opened. In 1988 the name of Liepu street was restored.

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12 Liepų st, LT-92114, Klaipėda, Lithuania.
+370 46 410 413,
+370 46 410 414;
fax +370 46 410 417;
laikrodziu.muziejus@lndm.lt