A working group set up by the Prime Minister and led by Chancellor of the Government Valdemaras Sarapinas will take two weeks to analyse the information presented by the guests and subsequently advise the project authors of the conclusions to be taken into account in the finalized feasibility study which is expected to be submitted by the end of this year.

“Our aim is to turn Vilnius into an attractive cultural centre of the region, to encourage cultural tourism, and to develop the image of Lithuania as a contemporary and dynamic state. We wish to establish a multifunctional cultural centre of a worldwide reputation in Vilnius, which could provide a powerful stimulus for our capital to become an attraction centre for the connoisseurs of the contemporary art, cinema, and architecture“, – said Chancellor of the Government Valdemaras Sarapinas.

According to the Chancellor, it would be appropriate and useful to have the opening of the museum the same year as Lithuania’s EU presidency, i.e. 2013.

The preliminary study forecasts an annual 400 thousand visitors who might generate about LTL 170 m. Another LTL 30 thousand would be brought annually in taxes. The Museum would create 900 jobs. The city and the state would have revenues generated not only by the museum exposition, but also from supplementary facilities, such like theatres, film halls, restaurants, stores and different events held on the museum premises.

The rough estimate of the project, including the construction, equipment, security systems, technologies, furniture, and other relevant equipment, is about USD 120 m. The project should be carried out on public-private funds. Lithuania has been looking into EU funding possibilities too. The construction could be launched at the beginning of 2011. In this case, it could welcome its first visitors as early as 2013.

The Government has welcomed the project and approved it in the meeting of Strategic Planning; however the final decision of the Government in this regard is still pending.