In the summer of 1938, Seraja Shapshal, a prominent spiritual and cultural figure of the Lithuanian Karaims, together with the senior clergyman of Trakai, Simon Firkovichh, consecrated the foundation stone of the future museum building in Trakai. It seemed that the dream of his youth was finally coming true, but the Soviet occupation and the Second World War prevented it from coming true for a long time. S. Shapshal donated his collection to the state, asking for only one thing in return to establish a Karaite Museum. The entire collection remained in a small three-room Shapshal's apartment in Žvėrynas. Soon he was appointed the patron of the Karaite Museum but was not given a salary for his work. The Trakai History Museum created a Karaite ethnographic exhibition using Shapshal's collections. This exhibition made possible the birth of Seraj Shapshal's Karaite Ethnographic Museum, Thus, Shapshal's old dream finally came true.
The Karaite people's history, everyday life, customs, handicrafts, and clothing can be explored in the exposition. The Damascus pipes, crockery for national dishes, household items, room furnishings, Karaite ornaments and the chandelier that used to adorn the Damascus Karaite shrine are also on display. The Karaite house had four parts: the hall, the kitchen, the women's side and the men's side. An interesting collection of weapons is displayed: a leather shield, arrows, a hunting horn, swords and a helmet. One of the most unique exhibits is a wooden cradle, called a beshik, which used to stand in the women's room. All its parts are held in place with wooden nails, as the coffin is affixed with iron nails, so they must not be used in the cradle.
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