Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant offers unique, costly tours and Visaginas explores its identity

A visit to the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant offers a unique, albeit costly, experience for tourists. Standing on a former nuclear reactor and dining in the "atomščikų" canteen provides a memorable encounter with the site's history. However, access is limited and expensive, with reactor zone tours costing over 100 euros for a full day and often selling out quickly, even on Saturdays.

The Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant's information center presents a less demanding alternative, but access is restricted to weekdays and requires advance booking. For those not drawn to these options, a photo with the plant's iconic chimneys serves as a backdrop for exploring Visaginas city. The Visaginas City Museum offers a deeper dive into the town's development, the construction of the nuclear plant, and features rotating exhibitions.

Currently, the museum showcases "People Without Masks," an exhibition by artist Sergej Trifonov, who grew up in Visaginas and captured portraits of its residents, reflecting the city's identity. The museum, in its second year, also features exhibits on the city's transformation from 1978-1990 through the eyes of architect Vladimir Gorbunov. It highlights Visaginas' multicultural nature, with greetings in 35 languages and exhibitions from both professional artists and schoolchildren.

Another point of interest is the "Taškas" arts residency, likened to Vilnius's Užupis, serving as an informal education center for Visaginas youth. Here, young people engage in creative activities like drawing, role-playing, and music recording. Aleksejus Urazovas, the residency's founder, aims to provide opportunities he lacked in his youth, emphasizing communication with young people in their own language. The residency also displays Urazovas's collections, and first-time visitors are advised to contact the team beforehand. For a more hands-on experience, the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant simulator in the Visaginas park area offers a chance to understand the complexities of operating a nuclear reactor.

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Muziejus atspindi Visagino daugiakultūriškumą, tad parodos rengiamos ne tik profesionalių menininkų, bet ir moksleivių. Be to, fiksuojama, kad mieste gyvena net 35 tautybių žmonės, tad įžengę į muziejų rasite pasisveikinimus visomis šiomis skirtingomis kalbomis