Simonas Daukantas Memorial Museum was opened in Papilė on October 27, 1986.  The museum is located in a restored building, which is said to have housed S. Daukantas in the last years of his life. 

S. Daukantas is a historian, educator and writer of the Lithuanian nation, the first to write Lithuanian history in Lithuanian. He was born on October 26, 1793 in Kalviai village, Skuodas district, studied in Kretinga primary and Žemaičiai Kalvarija 4th grade schools. It is said that he went to Vilnius on foot to continue his studies in  Vilnius University.

While still studying, S. Daukantas decided to dedicate himself to science, research of the history and culture of his nation, and public education. So that no one would hinder the achievement of the set goal, he was left without starting a family. His most important task was to search for the sources of the history of the Lithuanian nation, to study them and write books for his nation, to educate and raise its self-esteem, and its perception of its value.

While still studying at Vilnius University, S. Daukantas wrote his first historical work "Works of Ancient Lithuanians and Samogitians". Other important works of his research: “History of Samogitia” (c. 1838), “Way of Ancient Lithuanians, Kalnėnai and Samogitians” (1845), with the help of a large group of people, he collected the folklore of the native land, prepared its large collection in “Fairy Tales” (1835) and “Songs of the Samogitians” (1846). In an effort to educate his nation and defend himself from the influence of other, richer and more powerful nations, he prepared textbooks and dictionaries.