The goal is to create the FWArgelander Science Center in Klaipeda: what connects it to Lithuania?

The fate of the Klaipėda Central Postal Complex began to excite the residents of the port city in 2019, when the empty premises of Lietuvos Paštas were vacated. Concern was expressed that the building, and therefore in an emergency, would disappear, so it was asked what its fate might be. Perhaps there could be museums, a hotel, commercial establishments here.

The government commissioned the Ministry of Culture to prepare a feasibility study on what would be most suitable for the Klaipėda Central Post Office on Liepų Street. The study was coordinated by the public institution Ideas for the City, and its findings were presented this week.

After analyzing the historical development of the building, its state, and urban environment, three concepts were developed. According to one of them, the Baltic Art Residences Center could operate here, according to the second, the Communication Center, which unites IT companies, according to the third, the FWArgelander Center for Art and Science.

After evaluating all the perspectives, their costs and possible development, it was evaluated that the third concept would be the most suitable for Klaipeda.

“The future of this exceptional complex is important not only for Klaipeda, but also for the whole of Lithuania, and the connections with FWArgelander give the future center an international dimension as well.

Thanks to the organizers of the study, today we already have the opportunity to get closer not only to the vision of the future of this object, but also to a refined specific concept ”, said Vice Minister of Culture Rimantas Mikaitis.

Who was FWArgelander?

The facade of the central post office in Klaipėda is decorated with a memorial plaque with the berry relief by Friedrich Wilhelm Argelander. The world famous astronomical scientist is said to have been born on March 22, 1799 in Melemel at that time and died in 1875 in Bonn.

At the Klaipėda Central Post Office, it is desired to establish a science and art center in the name of this scientist with the functions of museums, events and residences, giving meaning to the historical heritage.

FWArgelander was born in the then Kingdom of Prussia. His father was a Finnish merchant from Tilsit.

FWArgelander studied astronomy at the University of Königsberg, then worked at the Königsberg Observatory, participating in the precise positioning of the stars by his supervisor Friedrich Bessel.
Starting in 1823, the scientist worked in Finland, became the director of the Turku Observatory, compiled a catalog of 560 stars.

Later he became director of the Helsinki Observatory and professor at the University of Helsinki. In 1837, the scientist moved to Bonn, Germany, where he became a professor and director of the observatory at a local university.

FWArgelander became the pioneer of a systematic study of variable stars. Among astronomers, there is a term: the Argelander method, when it comes to the visual observation of variable stars. He was the first astronomer to begin a comprehensive study of the evolution of stellar motion. To this day, a large collection of documents of its constellations and other objects has survived.

In 1863, the scientist received a gold medal from the Royal Astronomical Society. One of the craters on the moon and an asteroid are also named after him.

Bereljef appeared at the Klaipėda Central Post Office in 1993, at the initiative of the German Tarava Anike Society.

How much?

The feasibility study authors estimated that the FW Argelander Center would cost about $ 7.3 million. euros. Other concepts were evaluated with similar amounts.

It is estimated that about 50 thousand people visit this center per year. people.

After taking over the ownership of AB Lietuvos Paštas and fixing the object with funds from the state budget, it is recommended that the Klaipėda city municipality become the main operator and operator of the complex.

Procedures to recognize the Klaipėda Central Postal Complex as a cultural monument of national importance have already been initiated by including the complex in the list of objects of national importance, archeology and culture.

The market value of the current complex is estimated to be about $ 1.58 million. euros.
Inga Urbonaitė-Vadoklienė, director of the Ideas for the City institution, said that in 2023 an architecture competition could be held for the building and, a year later, major repairs and constructions could be carried out. In 2025, the new complex could open to visitors.