• Homesteads open April to October only, so the reconstructed medieval yards are shut in the cold months
• Museum closed Mondays and most public holidays, while the reserve grounds stay open and free every day
• Easiest by car from Vilnius, 35 km away; buses on the Vilnius to Širvintos route stop in Kernavė a few times a day

Kernavė was one of the first centers of the Lithuanian state in the 13th century. Five hillforts rise over the Pajauta Valley on the Neris River, inside a 194-hectare reserve with 18 protected heritage sites.

In the valley, an open-air museum rebuilds three medieval craftsmen's homesteads, built using only an axe. The indoor museum shows what archaeologists have found here since 1979.