Kernavė is a small town located on the right bank of the Neris River, 35 km from Vilnius, and in the past it was one of the first centers of the Lithuanian state (13th century). The legendary Pajauta Valley and its five mounds guard the remains of the last European pagan capital.
In 1989, on the basis of a unique complex of archeology, history and natural monuments, the State Museum-Reserve of Archeology and History was established, which was again reorganized into the Kernavė State Cultural Reserve. The cultural reserve consists of: a territory (194.4 ha) with 18 state-protected cultural heritage sites and an archeology and history museum. The collections of the museum are formed only on the basis of the material of the archeological research of the reserve and area ofKernavė. This material reveals all stages of Lithuanian prehistory. Since 2004 Kernavė Archaeological Site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.