A new modern art museum, called MO Museum, has opened in Vilnius, Lithuania showcasing the 4,000-work private collection of local couple Viktoras and Danguole Butkus.

The former sold his biotechnology firm, Fermentas, to Thermo Fisher Scientific in 2010, which gave the couple “the financial platform to bring our concept to life”, he said.

Describing their concept as a “museum without walls”, the couple have been advised by Lithuanian curator Raminta Jurenaite and the museum centres on mainly Lithuanian works.

New York-based architect Daniel Libeskind designed the museum, which sits near Vilnius’s historic medieval city. Libeskind said of his design: “It is conceived as a cultural gateway connecting the 18th-century grid to the medieval walled city.

“As someone who has a true appreciation for the history and beauty of Vilnius, I believe the building and its architecture will become a wonderful place to enjoy art and the spirit of the city.”

The museum held a four-day opening ceremony with various celebrations across that period, marking it out as somewhat of a landmark for Lithuanian art.

“The MO Modern Art Museum is a cultural milestone for the city of Vilnius and Lithuania as a whole. This new world-class institution will showcase local art and will explore its links with the global art scene,” said its director Milda Ivanauskiene.

“These never before seen works of art created behind the Iron Curtain will finally have a venue and international audience.”