After the third partition of Poland and Lithuania in 1795, all of Lithuania, except Užnemunė, was occupied by Tsarist Russia. The Act of Independence of Lithuania is a 122-word short- and clear-cut document which kept hope of independence alive through the years of occupation, and became the constitutional foundation in 1990, for the restoration of independence. The House of Signatories traces the history of national revival and the restoration of independent state of Lithuania.
Here, at 26 Pilis Street on February 16, 1918, the Act of Independence of Lithuania was signed by 20 members of the Council of Lithuania.
This building hosted a temporary committee of the Lithuanian Society of the War Victim Support Centre, here operated the Vilnius branch of the Lithuanian Charity Society as well. During the interwar period, many luminaries of the Vilnius region found refuge here: journalist Rapolas Mackonis, Vilnius scout leader and sports organizer Pranas Žižmaras, Povilas Karazija, Antanas Krutulys, Vincent Žilėnas, Emilija and Vincentas Vileišiai, Vincas Martinkėnas and others.
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