Guests visiting the Vilna Gaon Jewish State Museum, from Lithuania and around the world, often leave comments in the guest book. The first guest book began in 1990. Members of the press and foreign diplomatic corps have taken an interest in the museum. The majority of guests hail from Europe, the USA and Israel, although guests also arrive from countries more distant, including Japan, Brazil, China, Peru, Iraq, Guatemala and Indonesia. Here is a sample of some of the pleasant entries in the guest book about museum:
Visit of the delegation from the Holocaust museum Houston
Meeting with the first vice-president of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans
Special Guest in the Museum: Director of Museo Gurvich
Photo, taken by legendary photographer David Goldblatt, is now in museum‘s collections
The Museum Welcomed Guests from Latvia
Three new paintings in the museum‘s collections
Microscope in a wooden box, marked with a stamp of the jewish teachers’ seminary in Vilnius
Delegation of the society of friends of jewish museum in Frankfurt
A valuable present reached Vilna Gaon State Jewish Museum this August (2016) – the Siddur "Korban Mincha", Vilna, Yehuda Leyba Macas Printing House, 1886
RHONA GORVY (1921–13/07/2013): ARTWORKS THAT CAME BACK TO THE MOTHERLAND OF PARENTS
Foreign archaeologists and geophysical research team visit to Tolerance Center
The Visit of the Representatives of the Committee for Preservation of Jewish Cemeteries in Europe
ART WORKSHOP WITH RAIMONDAS SAVICKAS
SON OF CHIUNE SUGIHARA HAS VISITED THE VILNA GAON STATE JEWISH MUSEUM
The Margol / Freedman Group of American Fund for Lithuanian – Latvian Jews, IMC, paid their yearly visit to the Vilna Gaon State Jewish Museum
Evangelical deanery Vorderer Odenwald group visits the Tolerance Center	Evangelical deanery Vorderer Odelwald group at the Tolerance Center
Director Michel Hazanavicius met with museum director Markas Zingeris
24th of July, 2014 US Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat anti-Semitism Ira N. Forman paid a visit to the Vilna Gaon State Jewish Museum. The high-ranking US President Barack Obama‘s Administration official met with the Director Markas Zingeris, who told Forman about the main exhibitions of the museum, presented the plans for future development and shared his thoughts on the importance of the Litvak culture in Lithuania.

23rd of June, 2014 The group of the International Jewish Committe and the American Jewish Committee, lead by Rabbi Andrew Baker, visited the Tolerance Center. More information
	Director Markas Zingeris and Rabbi Andrew Baker

19th of June, 2014 The Margol / Freedman Group of American Fund for Lithuanian – Latvian Jews, IMC, paid a visit to the Tolerance Center and the Holocaust Exhbitiond of the Vilna Gaon State Jewish Museum. Director Mr. Markas Zingeris welcomed the group of donators at the Tolerance Center. More information
	Director Markas Zingeris accepts the donation by American Fund for Lithuanian – Latvian Jews

October 31, 2009 An excellent display which shows + tells story as it should be told. More locals should see it and know what happened here and how their forefathers behaved. David.Cape Town, S. Africa

October 15, 2009 A group of American Journalists visited our museum. They were guided through the Paneriai Memorial Museum, the Holocaust Exhibition in the Green House by deputy director Rachel Kostanian. Eventually they met director Markas Zingeris at the Tolerance Center. They kindly left the following words in our guestbook:   Rachel was a most extraordinary guide today who provided an amazing and inspiring tour today. Thank you so much for the window into harrowing time in history. Lyn Hayes USA

October 16, 2009 Thanks for this experience. And to open kindly this exhibition extra for me. Hayto Konigo – Japanese guy from Germany

October 13, 2009 Rachel made this a very powerful & moving experience for everyone and we‘ll never forget it. Peter Guttman

October 13, 2009 Shame that there is no direction to the museum, it is the city of culture. Great that the information is in English. Plenty to read, the annihilation of Lithuanian Jews was very interesting to read, also about the children action group. Places like this should be in the hearts of your country and people should not forget what happened to the Jews and to the people who helped them during the Holocaust. Main Kis- Glasgow, Scotland

October 11, 2009 Deeply moved by the dark fate of Lithuanian Jewry and appalled by present-day Lithuania’s politic about the infamous role of local collaborators in the annihilation of the Jews. Network for the Study of Nazism& the Holocaust, University of Southern Denmark

October 6, 2009 Mes grands parents, Robert Adelsk et Esther Tanel quittèrent Vilna en 1905 pour Paris- si la deportation frappe leurs proches depuis la France, je dois probablement à cet exil d’ etre envie. Je voulais honorer leur mémoire par ce voyage à Vilna, ainsi que cette de tous ceux qui ne sont plus- Et valuer ceux qui eu prennent, ici, un tel soin. Monette Vacquin, Paris

October 1, 2009 Mokiniai iš Biržų kaštonų pagrindinės mokyklos dėkoja už žinias apie žydų tautos istoriją ir nuostabų gidės pasakojimą.

September 24, 2009 You have presented the tragedy of Holocaust in a very realistic and moving way with limited means. It’s,  a fantastic achievement through incredible efforts to keep the remembrance of Holocaust alive to coming generations. Chairman of the Task Force for International Cooperation on Holocaust education, remembrance and research

September 19, 2009 Very interesting exhibition. Special thanks to the well informed young guide from Austria. Thomas A. Vith, Austria

September 16, 2009 Thank you, Rachel Kostanian, for your information tour. May you continue to tour for year to come.

Many Thanks for sharing your testimony of those terible years and in appreciation of your fine museum. Damian Lendn US Embassy

15. September 2009 Nie wieder! Nie wieder darf sich die systematische Entrechtlichung von Menschen und der Rassismus durchsetzen und zur Doktrin politischen Handelns warden. Tief betroffen von den vielen schrecklichen menschlichen Schicksalen im Wilnaer Ghettos und zutiefst beschämt besuchten wir diese Ausstellung. Wir wollen alles erdenkliche tun, das sich diese Geschichte nie wieder wiederholt. Die Besuchergruppe des Instituts für Kirche und Gesellschaft, Siegen

September 14, 2009 I feel sorry for you. Thanks for letting me see your past.

2009 I come looking for my family roots, as my Great-grandfather left Vilnius 1903. He was lucky. So am I. I got to see what it was like in Vilnius, as he did. But also how I am here, because he could leave. And how the rest of my family perished so horribly. Terry Hoffman. Thank you.

August 31, 2009 May you allow me to close this book with my comment; close this book with all his tears being written inside by people seeing our rooms. To close this book which is at the same time full of hope as people saw our rooms – carry on the memory – will tell the world what they have seen.
Whoever may dare to close this building and and thereby eliminate this sensitive exhibition, shall see in his/her dreams the face of women, waiting naked for their murderers to shoot, shall hear the words of the letter by a mother with two babies, addressed to her brother, shortly before being shot in Panerai; night and day! This person shall understand what soffer, what terrible, indescribable things happened, mainly by the arms of thousands of lithuanians, no matter if killer, assistant or bystander!
With its old and outworn photographs, its russian and not english subtutitles, its staff and its appearence, the exhibition has a strong impact on people seeing it. This impact is the same on you seeing it today, as on the one writing sitting in front of this book 20 years ago!
We as individuals see/saw here crimes against humanity as they never happened in a comparable way. We see this unique genocide (the only one in Lithuania ), the Holocaust, in a human exhibition. Not just high-tech! In this exhibition where we have to see what happened, we don‘ t just gaze. We don‘t need to be touched by light installations, touch-screens or special layouts... We get tear-filled because we see and, most importantly, we think after seeing. By gazing we just get touched – we don‘t think, we don‘t learn, we get blind!
You, dear visitor, can see now – against the earliest beginnings of anti-semitism, racism, xenophobia, homophobia, etc. By excluding any part of our societies, we are near to do similar mistakes. Whenever you here stupid commentaries by neighbours, or sincerely planned speeches by right-winged politicians, say no!
Let me finish my year working as a Gedenkdiener in this house by writing in this book, so I can say: Berty was here. Zait gezunt! Adalbert Wagner

August 26, 2009 I am impressed by how modern and secular the lives of Lithuanian Jews appeard to be. I am depressed about how many promising lives were lost.  Vic Borden, Unites States

August 11, 2009 I came to Lithuania in part to discover my roots. Although my relatives left before 1906, I am still saddened, embarassed by the information about the collaboration of Lithuanians with the Nazis. Will a true spirit of cultural and ethnic diversity be able to find root in Lithuanian soil? There is so much intelligence and health and positive spirit here. This museum helps to find the way. Peter Palcher

July 26, 2009 It is scary to see that this happened not so long ago and that there are still people defending this actions and beliefs. Rita and Elza Lobo and Antonio Pinho, Portugal

July 17, 2009 Presenting the memory - keeping us aware. I hate being a Human being when I see what a human being can do - I love being a Human being for the strenght of thise who survived and those who saved them - never again . plus jamais - we are one, whoever we are! A group of French friends

July 14, 2009 I have been to several Holocaust museums – in Los Angeles, in Auschwitz – Each one is different... Though no museum can begin to describe the immense tragedy of the Holocaust, they help us rememebr what we must never forget. Joanna Kwiatowske, Warsaw, Poland

July 9, 2009 I am both proud and sad to reconnect with my roots in Lithuania. Being 3th and 4th generation Canadian, my family mantains its connection to Lithuania and more importantly to Jewish Lithuania. We are the first to return many years later and our purpose is both to reconnect and remember. We were deeply moved by your presentation of memories. We will take home the memories and continue to spread Jewish tradition the way it would have been envisioned by those that came before us. And this we will do. Ted Sadinsky and Bryna Weiper, Toronto, Canada

July 6, 2009 Commovente ed esaustiva mostra. Ci rimarra‘ a lungo nella memoria! Valeria Gnarino, Verona, Italia

July 3, 2009  Rachel described the destruction of Lithuanian Jewry in a way I never heard before. The documents and photos brought to life the despair of the people and also their attempts to resist and preserve a normal life. Unfortunately, almost all attempts were to no avail. Jordan Bleznick

July 1, 2009  Thank you for your dedication for telling and re-telling the truth of the evil paused on the jewish community. You give us the knowledge to share and educate our children. The truth must be told. You do very important job. Thank you. Caroline Aderhalt, Alabama – United States

May 24, 2009 Мне хотелось бы поблогодорить спонсоров, вохонтеров и основаель музея. Огромное кол-во качественнйх эхпонатов, песен, фотографии. Я считаю, что информация отлично сгупирирована и преподнесена в доступной форме. Очень силъные (эмоциональном плане) фотографии и письма, а также выставка “мертвое будущее”. Спасибо Леша Подобедов

May 21, 2009 Betroffen und beeindruckt, voller Scham darueber, dass Menschen zu solchen Verbrechern faehig waren und andere es nicht verhinderten. In Verbundenheit mit den Opfern - NIE WIEDER FASCHISMUS! Neubauer und Kampter, Steyer, Austria

May 14, 2009 Eine Schande unserer Grosseltern - wir muessen immer wieder daran erinnert werden. Und es darf keinen "Schlussstrich" geben. Das sind wir auch den Opfern von Wilne und Kovno schuldig. Karsten Deventer, Berlin, Germany

May 13, 2009 A very impressive exhibition on tragic days of history, when a civilization was destroyed. What is left shows the richness of this culture. Annemieke Ruigrok, Netherland' Ambassador

May 5, 2009 I am born in Kaunas. After 37 years I came back to visit the places where my mother and I were born. Your Museum is amazing, tears in my eyes, Canada, Toronto

May 4, 2009 I always thought that I knew what happened in the second world war to god's people the Jews, but seeing only this museum for one hour I know now that I hardly knew anything until now. It impressed me very much. Pieter Prak, Mary Prak, Netherlands

April 30, 2009 What an important exhibition! A must for all people. A must for schoolchildren, for students from all parts of Lithuania, Russia, Belarus, Latvia - a must. this place should survive, do not let go - over 100.000 witnesses ask you to keep this place in Vilnius open, here at the Green House, open, alive. Rebecca and Shlomo Maayan, Israel

April 28, 2009 We need more museum like this, for never giving this scare again. I hope we live all like brothers and sisters now. Thank you, a french friend, Gippes, France

April 15, 2009 A most amazing yet upsetly look into the window of our past. Greg, Marc, Tracey and Norman Hirschowitz, South Africa

April 14, 2009 We must never forget, and therefore the exhibition in the "Green House" is so important. Thank you for a very painful, but very necessary visit. Gil Steiner, Ambassador of Norway

April 5, 2009 This is a most important museum and educational resource that needs to be seen and studied by everyone who cared about the past - and about the future of humanity. Sir Martin Gilbert, Oxford, UK

February 20, 2009 Je oefter man sich mit dem Thema Holocaust auseinandersetzt, desto weniger kann man glauben, dass diese Greuel wirklich stattgefunden haben. Man siehr die Bilder und weiss nicht wohin vor Fassungslosigkeit, Bestuerzung, grenzenlosem Mittleid und Wut. Es ist wichtig, dass wir solche Ausstellungen besuchen um uns dessen stets Bewusst zu sein: diese Untaten waren moeglich. Menschen sind in der Lage, solche Verbrechen zu begehen. Und sie finden nach wie vor statt, wenn nicht in Europa, dann in Afrika oder anderswo. Immer noch. Lernt aus der Geschichte. Annabelle, Berlin, Germany

February 3, 2009 Warum weiss man das nicht? Warum hat man so viel noch nicht gehoert? So viel, das man einfach nicht versteht, aus wenn man sich schon so intensiv mit dem Holocaust beschaeftigt hat. Das Museum muesste viel groesser sein fuer das Ausmass an Leid, Grauen, Gewalt das hier passiert is. Theresa, Vienna, Austria

January 21, 2009 Čia buvo labia įdomu, ir klysta tie, kurie nori, kad šią vietą uždarytų. Čia yra žydų kultūros istorija ir mes turėtume tai gerbti, kaip ir jie gerbia mus. Jų istorija iš tiesų yra sukrečianti, tačiau manau, kad visi, kurie nori uždaryti šią vietą, pirmiausia turėtų čia apsilankyti. Dar kartą ačiū, kad mus priėmėt ir noriu, kad žinotumėt, jog aš žaviuosi jūsų istorija ir jus palaikau. Neleiskite uždaryti šio muziejaus – jis per daug atviras ir nuoširdus. Jis verta visų žmonių dėmesio ir palaikymo. Gintarė 10^M

November 21, 2008 Journalist Laszlo Bendo from MTV (Hungarian national television) visited the Vilna Gaon Jewish State Museum‘s Tolerance center. Tolerance Center exhibitions were filmed.

November 15, 2008 I only wish more people would come to see this very impressive exhibition, that is tremendously moving. Thank you, The Havasiti Family, Vienna, Austria

November 10, 2008 One of the best Jewish Museum I have seen. Clare Fester, Australia

October 23, 2008 Director at the French Cultural Center Pascali Hanse and cultural attaché and associate director of the French Cultural Center Audelin Chappuis visited the Tolerance Center to view exhibitions.

October 16, 2008 Mit schrecken und Bedauern musste ich zur Kenntnis nehmen - ueber soviel Elend, das sich niemals wiederholen darf - Betet! M. Netter, Krems, Austria

October 7, 2008 A group from Israeli newspapers visited the Tolerance Center. They viewed exhibitions and asked questions concerning the museum‘s other activities.

October 1, 2008 We would like to thank you very much for you so impressive and very important work! The museum is so important and allows an understanding of the Holocaust. Your exhibition will also carry on this understanding to the next generations. With appreciation and best wishes, Dr. Kathrin Meyer, Executive Secretary ITF

October 1, 2008 I am shaken by the modesty and smallness of the house that is commemoration the once great and proud Jewish Community of Lithuania/ Vilnius and their tragic fate. But we are deeply impressed what a few dedicated hands, hearts and minds can achive. Deeply impressed and grateful with very very best wishes, Ferdinand Trauttmansdorff, Chairman ITF

October 1, 2008 Sholom aleikhem! One of my favourite places to visit in Vilnius - and one of the most important! L'chaim! And Shana Tova, Donal Denham, Ambassador of Ireland

September 24, 2008 Thank you for this wonderful exhibition. My grent great mother left Vilnius in 1906 with my tree year old grandmother. I have returned with my mother. Muriel, USA

September 21, 2008 Here we see the gifts of what was and of what could have been saved. Myra, UK

September 21, 2008 Everybody should remember what happened just less than 70 years ago. Thank you for an excellent exhibition on history. Anneli and Levi Jallinoja, Finnland

September 15, 2008 Here we are speaking of a real genocide, the only one that really took place in Lithuania. Congratulations and Thank you for the work you are doing to keep alive the memory if the Jewish Genocide. Alain Jacobzome, France Historian of the Shoah in Angers

September 12, 2008 This great museum with a lot of information about the Jhewish Historz, especailly to inform our children! Jenny, Netherlands 

September 7, 2008 Very nice presented museum. I wish we had something like this in Georgia. Jonathan, Tbilisi

August 28, 2008 Man kann sich noch so oft mit dieser Tragoedie befassen, sie wird dennoch nicht begreifbar.

August 7, 2008 Long live the memories, melodies and numberless contributions that came from Lithuania - changed the face of the Jewish people. We will never forget! Thank you for bringing the Story to life for us and thereby honoring the memories of the murdered. Miktal Matter, Israel

August 4, 2008 A useful and moving collection of the Shoah before the "Wannsee" conference. It is beyond human understanding to see how one of the most cultured country in the work coldly transformed the Jerusalem of the North and all of a brilliant community into a graveyard. Memory should survive - compliments for making it happen. Jean-Marc Phillipe, Israel

July 30, 2008 Thank you for the work you do. It is because of places like this that the world has hope for a future of Tolerance and understanding. By taching what you do, there is hope that the Horrors done to our people will not be forgotten and the future will be brighter than this dark past. In Peace - Ariel Goodman, Vermont, USA

July 30, 2008 Remarkable. Powerful. Deserves much higher visibility. David Goodman, USA

July 2008 Thank you for sharing the heritage. Beautiful restoration. Colly & Bonny, USA         

July 10, 2008 A Lost World that once was! Truly, hard to imagine what happened to the Jewish Community in Vilna! Thank you for sharing with us. Mark & Jill, USA

June 20, 2008 This visit has been a privilege for me. Congratulations for the courage and dedication that supports this museum. Christian Kennedy, USA, Special Envoy for Holocaust Issues

June 18, 2008 British ambassador Simon Butt visited the Tolerance Center and spoke with artist Naomi Alexander whose work was on exhibit. A guide explained and showed permanent Tolerance Center exhibits to him.

June 17, 2008 May all you efforts help that this, one of the darkest periods of human kind, may never be forgotten. Andrea Wicke, Austria, Austrian Ambassador

May 21, 2008 The museum was very depressing - I am speechless. But it was very interesting. There is a lot that I previously didnt know about - the Jewish Community in Vilnius, the extermination of Jews outside of the concentration camps. It is still unbelievable that things like this actually happened. My they never happen again. Kristi Zychowka, Vancouver, Canada

May 15, 2008 Israeli ambassador to Lithuania and Latvia Chen Ivry visited the Tolerance Center. He met with museum director Markas Zingeris and gave an interview to Lithuanian television program there.

May 12, 2008 A wonderful exhibit of the excellent and sadly lost Jewish talent with a view to future and upcoming new talents. A beautiful presentation. Professor G. Steinberg, Israel

October 14, 2007 We are glad to see such a wonderful museum, congratulation for it! Share and grow the Jewish Culture in Lithuania Csilla, Finland