Exploring the Lithuanian World Center in Lemont
Chicago and the surrounding suburbs are rich in culture and traditions from different immigrant populations that settled here during the 19th and 20th centuries. Lemont is home to the Lithuanian World Center – a wonderful place to discover the history, art, language, and culture that still influences our community today.
What Brought Us Here: The Waves of Lithuanian Immigration in Chicago
The first wave of Lithuanian immigrants came to Chicago before WWI. They found work in the coal mines and stockyards – what we know as Bridgeport became the first Lithuanian community in Chicago. The first wave of immigration was encouraged to assimilate into the American way of life and often lost their language in the process – but the food was here to stay.
During the second wave of WWII, Lithuanian immigrants settled in Marquette Park and Cicero – leading to the creation of more taverns and restaurants where folks could easily create their own jobs and earn an income. After the dissolution of the USSR in the 1990s, many immigrants settled in Lemont and the surrounding suburbs like Downers Grove.
Pro Tip: Grand Dukes operates out of the Lithuanian World Center on weekends and provides tasty Lithuanian treats like bacon buns and Šakotis (aka Lithuanian tree cakes) made in-house on a spit.
The Kids Are Alright: How Schools Preserve a Culture
The Lithuanian World Center is home to three schools: the largest Lithuanian language school in America — Maironis Lithuanian Community School — and two Montessori schools, one serving students in English, Blessed Family Montessori School, and another in Lithuanian, Žiburėlis Lithuanian Montessori. Children also come to the center to participate in dance groups, choirs, and sports. The Center also hosts tournaments and festivals for students across the region–including basketball tournaments and international dance festivals. Adults are also more than welcome to dance, sing, and play sports at the Center!
Pro Tip: Lithuanian for “hello” is “labas!”
Come for the Culture, Stay for the Art: The Art Museum at the LWC
Composition on Pyramids by Zita Biliunaite-Sodeika
While telling the history of its people and educating for the future, the Lithuanian World Center is home to the Lithuanian Museum of Art which houses an expansive art collection and studio for students of all ages to create their own work. Open during weekends and during special events, the collection features paintings, lithographs, wood carvings, and sculptures from Lithuanian artists across the diaspora. A separate collection of woven art is a favorite of Illinois Senator Dick Durbin–himself of Lithuanian descent! Next to the art studio, you’ll find walls of autographs from all of the famous Lithuanians who’ve visited the Center.
The museum serves as a residence for 2-3 Lithuanian artists at a time. We enjoyed the massive wooden wall that tells the American story from a Lithuanian perspective. The collections rotate every 2-4 weeks in addition to their 3 permanent exhibitions.
Pro Tip: On display now is an immersive virtual reality exhibit entitled “Trail of Angels” by artist Mikalojus Konstantinas Čiurlionis. The work originally debuted at the Venice Film Festival in 2018 and won the “Lumen Prize for Art and Technology” award. The 25-minute virtual journey is on display through the end of April in Lemont and Chicago–grab your tickets here!
Lemont is a village of immigrants and we’re honored to tell their stories, share in their traditions, and embrace their culture. For more on the influence of immigrants in Lemont, check out our stories on The Seven Steeples of Lemont and Back to Central School.
