Museums

Soldiers and the Art of Warfare from 9th to 16th Century, Latvia and Latvian Soldiers in 17th-18th century, Latvian soldiers in the World War I. 1914 – 1918, Latvia’s state establishing and fights for freedom. 1918 – 1920, Latvian soldiers in the Civil war in Russia. 1918 – 1921, The defence of Latvian state. 1920 – 1940, Latvia in the World War II, The period of Soviet occupation of Latvia. The third Awakening. 1945-1991

WWW: http://www.karamuzejs.lv

On 22nd of August 2011 in the very heart of Old Riga – Doma Square 6 - the new Museum of Art “Riga Bourse” was opened. Adapting the building to meet the needs of displaying the Latvian National Museum of Art collections of foreign art is an excellent solution for the future use of this cultural landmark. The size, character and significance of collections are fitting with the characteristics and layout of the rooms. Contemporary thinking museum matching the demands of international exhibition practice was created, with the utmost consideration towards the national architectural monument.

WWW: http://www.lnmm.lv/lv/mmrb/

1) The Earliest History of Latvia (9000 BC - 1200 AD)

2) The Middle Ages (13th - mid-16th century)

3) The Early Modern Era (Mid-16th - 20th century)

4) The Modern Era (20th century-– today.)

The exhibition „Soviet Design for Everyday Life” covers the period of time as of 1950s to 1980s and introduces everyday household items made in Latvia and Soviet Union.etc.

WWW: http://lnvm.lv/

RMM has its mission formulated as “to convince the modern people that interpretation of literature and music history is useful and profitable when trying to understand the contemporary reality”.

WWW: http://rmm.lv

The holdings of the Latvian National Museum of Art, housed at the Arsenāls building, is comprised of works of art created by Latvian and Latvian-born artists during the period from late 20th century until the present day. The permanent exhibition is replaced from time to time by regular exhibitions from the museum holdings, revealing the developmental processes of the Latvian visual arts from various vantage points.

WWW: http://www.lnmm.lv

Collections of the museum are formed of the original works of architects, including outlines, sketches and drawings. Good quality sepia transparency copies or photocopies can be accepted in cases when the originals have not survived. The museum can also accept models, though in case of larges-scale models photo pictures are preferable. To ensure complete understanding of the architect's ideas, explanatory articles of the architectural part of the design are appreciated.

WWW: http://www.archmuseum.lv/

Today the Museum collections number more than 500 000 items, systematised in about 80 collections. They reflect Riga’s political and economic development, its culture and everyday life from the early days of the city to our day, as well s the history Latvian seafaring. The provenance of the museum objects reaches beyond Riga and Latvia and embraces a vast geographical area.

WWW: http://www.rigamuz.lv

To explore, conserve, study and communicate to society the spiritual and material evidences about the events of January and August 1991 in Latvia as the culmination of the national awakening and the renewal of state independence.

To favour the development of national patriotic feelings of young people.

To memorise the victims of Barricades of January and Putsch of August 1991.

WWW: http://www.barikades.lv

The museum shows the development of pharmacy and pharmacies in Latvia. Documents and books from the 17th- 19th century, the tools and containers of an pharmacist, signatures, pill shapes and devices for preparing drugs, as well as drugs that were manufactured in Latvia in the 20 - 30ties of the 20th century are on display at the museum.

WWW: http://fm.mvm.lv/

The Riga Porcelain Museum preserves more than 6800 articles in its collection.

The greatest part of this collection are articles which were manufactured at the Riga Porcelain Factory from the 1950s to 90s thus giving a more or less complete idea of the serial porcelain ware design of the time , which is represented by numerous services.

The museum has a porcelain painting workshop where each of you can do the painting on various porcelain articles at your own will and taste. It is a unique opportunity to create an original gift for your friends or make them a nice surprise!

The permanent displays of the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design on the 2nd and 3rd floor unfold rich and splendid information about culture and art in Latvia. They help the visitors to have an insight into the creative work of each individual artist as well as to get impression about the dominating art styles and directions of different periods of time. The artworks represent the period from the end of the 19th century till contemporary time.

WWW: http://www.lnmm.lv/lv

In ancient times jewelry was used not only to fasten together clothes, but it was also  an indicator of  the owner`s social status and ethnicity belonging.

But how did the people of Riga adorn themselves 800 years ago and earlier? What does jewelry tell us about the time before the city of Riga?

WWW: http://www.balturotas.lv

It all started in 1999 in Portugal with one single small pendant in the form of the Sun! The author Iveta Gražule decided to look for a sun-shaped objects during her travel in every country she happened to visit and ever since then she still does and now there are almost 400 sun decorations and artwork coming from many world countries.

WWW: http://www.saulesmuzejs.lv

Magnificent and original wall and ceiling paintings (17 th –18 th cent.) are the basis of the exposition. A fine selection of interior objects from the Riga Museum of History and Navigation conforms to these colourful visions of the past. Visitors are welcome to visit a shop room, a kitchen with a unique mantel-chimney, a saloon, a dancing hall, a “Poet’s room”, a family chapel, premises of the owner of the house, a “Young girl’s room”. As well as, explore the vaults of the historical cellar, and enjoy exhibition up in the attic exhibition hall.

WWW: http://www.mencendorfanams.com/en/

The museum’s permanent exposition “Development of Photography in Latvia. 1839 – 1940” is installed in three halls and includes exhibits from the Latvian Museum of Photography, the Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation as well as from private collections.

WWW: http://fotomuzejs.lv

The museum stores more than 30 thousand units - medals, cups, awards, badges, documents, photographs, posters, sport gear, insignia, audio and video materials, periodicals, which cover a period from the late 19th century up to the present day.

WWW: http://www.sportamuzejs.lv

The Museum of the Popular Frontis the storehouses of evidence of the Latvian modern history. The Museum contains a unique collection of objects and documents pertinent to striving for independence of the nation of Latvia at the end of the 20th century that has been perpetuated as the Third Awakening of Latvia; within the context of the world history it is also well-known as the Singing Revolution.

WWW: http://lnvm.lv/en/

The concept of the open collection is the periodic change or supplementation of the works on view according to the LAU MUSEUM'S annual theme for public activities.The flexibility of the exposition ensures thepossibility of obtaining detailed informastiononthe art of Latvia between 1945 and 1991. It offers the opportunity to become actively involved in the examination of the open collection and gives viewrs the possibility of choosing for themselves the accents of the exposition they are interested in.

WWW: http://www.lmsmuzejs.lv

One of the founders of Latvian national professional fine arts, Janis Rozentāls (1866–1916) and his wife, the Finnish singer Elli Forssell (1871–1943) lived in Apartment No. 9 at Alberta iela 12, from 1904 until 1915. The building is one of the most significant Art Nouveau architectural monuments in Rīga, and was built in 1903 to the design of architects K. Pēkšēns and E. Laube.

Famous Latvian writer Rūdolfs Blaumanis (1863–1908) – J. Rozentāls’ friend and confederate, periodically lived in the apartment as a lodger from 1906 until 1908. There is a R. Blaumanis memorial room set up at the Museum.

WWW: http://www.muzeji.lv

The authentic interior of 1903 has been renovated in the museum. Investigation of the premises was started in 2007 when the original interior decoration was revealed and registered. Renovation works were done from 2008 to 2009 under the guidance of master renovator Gunita Čakare.

The current display of the museum shows the characteristic furnishings of an apartment of a Riga inhabitant in the beginning of the 20th century. The author of this interior project is the architect Liesma Markova.

WWW: http://www.jugendstils.riga.lv

The exposition on the first floor tells the history of development of fire fighting in Latvia. One can see fire fighters’ helmets, tools, uniforms, hoses, pumps, fire vehicle „Chevrolet Six”.

On the second floor exhibits depict the development of fire fighting till nowadays. One can learn also about the scientific research work of the Service, development of fire sports, the greatest fires and other catastrophies.

In the Hall of Honour of Fire Fighters the visitors of the Museum can read the names of fire fighters who lost their lives while fighting fires, see the awards of fire fighters of various times.

WWW: http://muzejs.vugd.gov.lv/eng/

Till now museum’s collection has been formed from presents and the personal collections, that are handed over to museum for storage on not fixed time, but a part of works are acquired in purchases way. At the moment in the main collection, which is included in Latvia’s national collection, are 179 naive art masterpieces, but in ancillary collection are more than 900 work’s and photoreproductions. Constantly museums collections are increasing and have been deliberated constantly new naive art authors and their works.

WWW: http://www.noass.lv

The Latvian National Museum of Art, which is located at 10a K.Valdemāra Street in Riga, holds the largest collection of national art in Latvia. The museum plays a key role in Latvian cultural heritage, offering a wealth of information about the development of professional art in Latvia. The museum is located in Riga’s so-called Ring of Boulevards, and its building attracts attention with its monumental architecture and with the treasures of Latvian art that are inside its walls.

WWW: http://www.lnmm.lv

The building on Baznīcas iela is the more authentic of the two sites devoted to the memory of the Latvian poets, and has been least affected by rebuilding or other changes over the years. The poets lived here from 15th September 1926: Rainis – until his death in 1929, Aspazija – until the spring of 1933. It is partly accessible to visitors. The poets’ restored apartment is on the second floor.

•    The uniqueness and contradiction of Andrejs Upīts’ personality. A narration of the writer's life and works.

•    Andrejs Upīts’ creative laboratory–library, The huge role of books in the expansion of writer's insight and knowledge.

•    The literary work of Andrejs Upīts in the 1950s and 1960s etc.

WWW: http://www.upisamuzejs.lv

The Museum of Romans Suta and Aleksandra Beļcova is historical apartment of two prominent figures in the history of Latvian art - representatives of Classical Modernism. Museum is situated in Riga, 57a Elizabetes Street, Apt. 26.

WWW: http://www.lnmm.lv/lv

Today the UL Museum of History serves the purposes of education and science, as well as popularizes the values of cultural history of the University of Latvia. Everybody is welcome to participate in excursions or consultations and look at various materials, such as, photographs, documents, articles and books, about the events before the formation of the university, about the university’s formation and about its development until the present day. The material tells also about the people who have studied or worked at the University of Latvia, and have made significant contributions in the fields of academia, science, economics, and culture.

WWW: http://www.lu.lv

The Natural History Museum of Latvia is a marvelous place where to pass time and view modern, interactive displays and varied exhibitions, go on excursions, guided by environmental interpreters, to participate in various informative and educational activities on environmental and natural studies, to discuss the topical and latest events on nature issues, to see a wide range collections of natural resources. These are only a few activities characterizing the Natural History Museum.

WWW: www.dabasmuzejs.gov.lv

The most authentic part of the Museum exposition is Krišjānis Barons’ room. Here one can also see the famous Dainu skapis [cabinet of folk songs] (a copy) which he created, which stores late 19th century handwritten records of Latvian folk songs and was in 2001 included in the UNESCO programme’s “Memory of the World Register”.

WWW: http://www.baronamuzejs.lv

WWW: http://www.cakamuzejs.lv/

WWW: http://www.teatramuzejs.lv

In 1933, Latvian poet Jānis Akuraters’ (1876–1937) family built a wooden house to the design of architect V. Vitands in Torņakalns, in Pārdaugava.

The interior and the atmosphere of the house tells of the early to mid 20th century lifestyle of a creative personality. It is a house, the arrangement and atmosphere of which, introduces one to the rhythm of the day and festive mood of the arts intelligentsia of the 1930’s. In the house, the interior planning in the functionalism style cohabits with mid 19th century Biedermeier style furniture, and authentic items blend in well with replicas made in the 1920’s–1930’s.

The building is more than 200 years old, and was formerly the “Jeruzaleme” Tavern, which Garlībs Merķelis and Richard Wagner visited in their time, and which was immortalized in his drawings by Johann Christof Brotze. The poet’s memorial apartment, exhibition hall and garden are open to the public.

At the Museum one can listen to recordings of O. Vācietis’ voice, watch videos, and watch the digital exposition – the “Ojārs Vācietis” multimedia CD.

WWW: http://vaciesamuzejs.asp.lv

The museum is proud of its unique collection of locomotives, cars and specialized equipment. Every unit is unique and does not have analogues in the world.

The museum possesses also photo negatives, postcards and photographs with railway stations and buildings, construction of railroads, opening of bridges, everyday life of railway workers starting from the late 19th century.

WWW: http://www.railwaymuseum.lv

WWW: http://www.history-museum.lv

At the museum you can:

1) find out and learn about the history and development of crafts, technologies and traditions;

2) experience the joy of dancing, singing, playing music and games;

3) have a good time and meaningful day with your children, family, relatives, friends and contemporaries;

4) observe and try out the old craft and taste the traditional food etc.

WWW: http://www.brivdabasmuzejs.lv

The main exhibition of Riga Motor museum is dedicated to the historical development of automobiles, motorbikes and bicycles, starting from the last decade of 19th century till the end of 20th century. In the exhibition space of 3278 m2 there are more than 230 exhibits on display.

WWW: http://www.motormuzejs.lv

There are more than 199,000 items in the museums storage. Every year thematic exhibitions are made to reflect the questions that are topical to society and which society might find interesting and educational. The main exhibition is placed in the four floors of the museum in periodical order. The exhibition is designed to show the visitors the evolution of medicine, just the way that Pauls Stradins wanted to show it.

WWW: http://www.mvm.lv

The Museum's goal is to portray life during the three occupation periods suffered by Latvia and Latvians. The items of the exhibition tell about Latvia during the fifty+ year-long subjugation: about power politics, about Soviet and Nazi terror, about the destruction of Latvia's economy, about Soviet and Nazi totalitarian ideologies, about the opposition to the regimes, and finally how Latvians regained their freedom in 1991.

WWW: http://www.omf.lv