Have you heard of the Beast of Kaunas Fan Club? In just six months, it has gained almost 50 new members. These are the young adventurers who have visited all the city museums recommended by the Beast, explored them thoroughly, collected the special stamps, and, most importantly, had countless adventures. For those who want to join this daredevil and very mysterious club, you should hurry, because the great game “Beastly Adventures in Kaunas” will only run until the city’s next birthday. That traditionally happens in May, which means there are only six months left.
The Beast of Kaunas: A Famous Recluse
The mythical Beast of Kaunas is a city legend said to live under Kaunas Castle, though no researcher has ever met it in person. Still, every self-respecting Kaunas local knows where to hear the Beast’s snoring most clearly, where to find its actual tooth, or where to see its sculpture glistening in the sun. What’s more, the Beast is a curious creature. From the footprints that are constantly being discovered, we know it is not some wild animal but is educated and cultured. It loves museums, cinema, and theatre.
How to Join the Club?
All travellers whose journeys take them through Kaunas, as well as the city’s own curious residents, are invited to search for the Beast’s tracks. “Beastly Adventures in Kaunas” is an illustrated map for the whole family, revealing the most interesting, interactive, and tasty spots in the city.
Adventurers are invited to visit the museums recommended by the mythical creature, where they can have a wonderful time with the whole family and get a special game stamp. Once you have completed all the tasks (the main task is very simple: get to know the exhibition) and collected all eight stamps, the “Kaunas IN” Tourist Information Centre (Laisvės al. 36) awaits. There, you will be awarded your official Beast of Kaunas Fan Club badge.
The Fans Open Up
The success of the game is best told not by numbers, but by the experiences of the participants themselves. And there is a whole bouquet of them, from stamps collected carefully over an entire summer to challenges completed in a single holiday week. The Beast of Kaunas has shared a few of the letters sent to it.
Five-year-old adventurer Agota wrote a review explaining that the journey was great fun, and she was most surprised by Kaunas Castle, the Town Hall, and the Lithuanian Museum of Education. “We spent the whole summer doing the tasks. We recommended it to our kindergarten group and all our friends. I explored the map with all my kindergarten friends and put the stamps on myself. Now I always visit you when you are sleeping because I found out where you sleep while exploring the map”, writes Agota, thanking her new friend for the gifts at the end of the letter.
The Dargiai family (Agnė, Modestas, Milda, and Joris) took on the challenge during their week-long holiday in Kaunas, and they succeeded. “The half-day spent at Science Island was the most impressive, but the other museums were interesting in their own way too. Joris liked the Sports Museum the best because he could try on the boxing gloves. Milda was fascinated by the butterfly collection at the Zoology Museum. And for Mum and Dad, the warmest memories came back at the Kaunas Town Hall: they got married there 15 years ago”, says the family, who also managed to get their friends in Kaunas hooked on the game.
“This challenge lets you get to know Kaunas even better and visit museums you didn’t know existed or didn’t have the motivation to go to. The idea with the stamps on the map is really cool and everything looks so aesthetic”, says Evelina, another club member. She adds that she particularly enjoyed the Kaunas City Museum department in the Town Hall, where the staff suggested some games while exploring the exhibition.
“We received a very warm welcome in all the museums. At the Lithuanian Sports Museum, they were thrilled when we were the first to arrive with the map. Collecting the stamps was exciting for my son; he even asked to have one stamped on his hand. For those with little ones, the most interesting spots are the Kaunas Tadas Ivanauskas Museum of Zoology, the Children Literature Museum,, and Science Island”, reveals Simona, who accompanied her son on the “Beastly Adventures in Kaunas” game.
A Siege on the Museums
“Once, a family of four came in, and all four of them had a Beast of Kaunas map!”, say the staff at the Children Literature Museum, commenting on the interest in the new city game. According to them, there was a huge number of beastly-minded visitors in the summer. The start of the school year drew some attention away, but as autumn deepens, the crowds of curious explorers are back. Those who do not know about the game become interested when they see the poster in the museum and rush off to the nearby “Kaunas IN” Tourist Information Centre to pick up a map.
The Lithuanian Sports Museum, located in the Old Town near the mythical creature’s den, also gets plenty of Beast fans visiting as families. “The children have a fun and joyful time with us. We have also noticed that some teachers have come up with Beast-related assignments, which both pupils and their parents are getting involved in”, say the museum staff.
“It’s great to be part of such a beautiful project. After all, finding out more is probably the best way to spend your free time”, says the team at Science Island, which is looking forward to its first birthday. According to its representatives, the biggest attraction for the Beast’s followers visiting Nemunas Island is getting to put the all-important Science Island stamp on the map themselves. “They do it with such great joy, which is incredibly charming.”
Searching for the Beast After Dark
It is worth diving headfirst into the legend of the Beast of Kaunas. For those who want to not only follow the tracks themselves but also hear all the secrets from an expert, the guide Rimutė Mikalavičienė organises special tours called “Beastly Adventures in the Kaunas Old Town”. “Every self-respecting city has to have its own beast. Vilnius has a wolf, Telšiai has a bear, and we, so as not to get lost among aurochs and wisents, have our own: mythical, mysterious, and very important”, begins the guide, whose tours, like the game, are inspired by the “Book of Tales of the Beast of Kaunas”.
Rimutė’s tours are held in the evening, after dark. After all, the best time to look for the Beast is when it is waking up, right? Armed with lanterns, the whole family sets off on an adventure to not only find the Beast’s tracks but also to discover other stories of Kaunas. According to her, the tour is best suited for those children (and adults!) who still believe in Santa Claus. Just like Santa, the Beast leaves signs and gifts but, for now, is in no hurry to show itself. “We can hear its snoring under the castle, we can find its tooth, but we have not seen the Beast itself yet. But we are so close!”, says Rimutė with a spark in her eye.
“I always joke at the end of the tour: if you see any street being dug up in the Kaunas Old Town, you can be sure they are looking for that mythical Beast of Kaunas. The search never ends!”, laughs the guide. Although she is now preparing for the Christmas rush, she promises there will definitely be more lantern-lit walks during the darker time of the year.
Everyone is Welcome in the Fan Club
After collecting all the stamps for the “Beastly Adventures in Kaunas” game, you can proudly hang the illustrated map on your wall. It is not just a souvenir but also a work of art. The storybook, the map, and every single stamp are the creations of designer Darius Petreikis, reflecting the unique spirit of the journey and proving that you have had some truly beastly adventures in Kaunas.
You can find more information about the game, the stamps, the participating museums, and everything else in the game’s official rules.
The “Beastly Adventures in Kaunas” map is free of charge and can be picked up at the “Kaunas IN” Tourist Information Centres at Laisvės al. 36 or Rotušės a. 15. A digital version of the route can be found at: https://kaunastika.lt/en/map/beastly-route-in-kaunas
