We invite you to begin a fascinating journey through the early steps of basketball – from a cold winter day in 1891 Massachusetts to the very first basketball court with… peach baskets. Discover how James Naismith created a game that quickly captured the hearts of Americans and eventually the entire world.

You’ll also uncover a surprising Lithuanian connection in basketball history: Senda Berenson Abbott, born in Butrimonys, became a pioneer of women’s basketball.

Visitors will learn how the rules were born, what made the first game ball special, and why basketball became a global passion.

Visit the Basketball House and dive into the story of how it all began!)

This stop of the exhibition opens a decade that stands out in Lithuanian basketball history not for victories, but for painful lessons. The years 1925–1935 were a challenging time: although Lithuania had already formed its first national team, only one win was achieved in international competitions. The most crushing defeat came in 1935 against Latvia – a staggering 113-point loss that seemed like the final nail in the coffin of Lithuanian basketball.

But that loss marked the beginning of a true transformation.

Lithuanian Americans – Konstantinas Savickas, Feliksas Kriaučiūnas, and soon Olympic gold medalist Pranas Lubinas – arrived in Lithuania. They brought with them a spirit of professionalism, training methodology, and belief that Lithuania, too, could become a basketball powerhouse.

Meanwhile, basketball was gaining momentum across Europe. In 1935, the first European Championship took place (won by Latvia), and in 1936, Lithuania joined FIBA. We received an invitation to the European Championship in Riga. Experts dismissed our chances.

But how did it all end? Come visit the exhibition and find out.

The year 1938 marked the moment when women stepped into the history of Lithuanian basketball. This part of the exhibition takes you back to the very first European Women’s Basketball Championship, held in Rome.

Here you’ll discover not only stories of wins and losses but also a colorful tale of how ten brave Lithuanian women – dressed in traditional national costumes and radiating unshakable courage – won the hearts of the audience and made headlines across the press.

The exhibition highlights their inspiring performance, unexpected moments on the court, the team’s unique character, and their relentless fight until the final second. This was Lithuania’s women’s first step onto Europe’s grand sports stage – a moment proving that basketball in Lithuania was shaped not only by men, but also by the strength and spirit of women.

Visit the Basketball House to learn more about this remarkable championship and the women who made it unforgettable – their courage continues to inspire generations.

The time when Lithuania lost its independence was filled with pain, yet even in the darkest days, basketball remained a beacon of light – a silent symbol of resistance that united the nation. The years 1940–1950 marked not only the beginning of occupation, but also a new chapter in Lithuania’s basketball story. International tournaments became unreachable, but the passion for the game never faded.

In this part of the exhibition, you’ll hear how Lithuanian basketball survived under oppression – how the sport lived on through players who, though wearing the USSR national team jerseys, carried Lithuania in their hearts.

This was the era of legends such as Stepas Butautas, Juozas Lagunavičius, Kazys Petkevičius, and of course, Modestas Paulauskas – captain of the Soviet team and Olympic gold medalist.

It was a time when Lithuania spoke to the world not through words, but through precise shots and victories.

By visiting this exhibition, you’ll learn not only about athletic achievements, but also about what it meant to remain true to oneself when being yourself was forbidden. Discover this powerful chapter – at the Basketball House.