An idea floating around the halls of the Vilnius municipality for some time now looks a little likely to become reality: to build a branch of the Guggenheim and Hermitage museums in Vilnius as a kind of east-west meeting point. Well-established British Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid has designed the futuristic buildings. The idea has captured the imaginations of Lithuania’s top officials, although neither the price nor the purpose of the project is yet clear. The city is still divided over the construction of a new multifunctional sports and events centre. PM Gediminas Kirkilas believes that the proposed Guggenheim-Hermitage gallery will attract many tourists from abroad and that EU funds will be applied for to implement the project.