Summer Mondays and Tuesdays at the National Library of Latvia

Opposite the Old Town on the left bank of the Daugava rises the National Library of Latvia building, or the Castle of Light, one of the most extensive cultural buildings in the history of renewed Latvia.

This summer, the library is offering a rich and interesting programme for visitors to the city – to learn about this building and the work done here via a digital guide (gids.lnb.lv - in Latvian, English, German, Ukrainian and Lithuanian), view six exhibitions and enjoy the most beautiful view of Riga from level 11 of the library.

The library also houses the "Dainu skapis” (Cabinet of Folksongs), a world cultural treasure included in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.
A cafe, a self-service restaurant, wi-fi and a souvenir shop are also available.

Major exhibitions:

Permanent exhibition Book in Latvia (1st floor) – is the story of the history of Latvian bookmaking in a global context. The book is the focus of the exhibition – both as a material object and as a social and spiritual phenomenon that has changed and continues to change society, people's lives and thinking.

Exhibition "Is a Library a Birthright?" will encourage people to think about a library and reading as cornerstones of a democratic society.

Exhibition "Text is Not Our Type" Exhibition is one of the central events in 2024 within the framework of the series of events 500 Years of Latvian Books, highlighting the interaction of book design, human and technology.

The Exhibition. Birkerts. Libraries. Light. dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Gunārs Birkerts (1925–2017) presents the life and creative work of the outstanding Latvian architect. Among the many public buildings designed by Gunārs Birkerts, libraries have a special place – this exhibition is dedicated to them.

Exhibition The Castle of Light and the Glass Mountain – the story of the Latvian National Library project and its architect (1st floor and 11th floor) – the two-part exhibition acquaints visitors with the history of the new building of the Latvian National Library, the process of its creation and its author – the world-renowned architect G. Birkerts – and illuminates his creative excellence in the context of world architecture.

Two cafes, a self-service restaurant, wi-fi and a souvenir shop are also available.