History Museums

Museums dedicated to various historical topics will help to explore the history of Latvia and Riga through the centuries.

National History Museum of Latvia

The largest repository of assets related to the history of Latvia. The Museum was established in 1869 and has a stock of more than a million items – a unique collection of archaeological, ethnographic, numismatic, historic and artistic items. In the main exhibition, Latvia’s history is reflected from ancient times until the beginning of the 20th century.

Latvian War Museum

The Museum exposition reveals Latvia’s military political history with a special emphasis on the 20th century, a period during which the Latvian people had to fight to gain their independence on two occasions.

Popular Front Museum

The Popular Front Museum is a modern history archive with specific documents and display items, reflecting the Latvian people's struggle for liberty at the end of the 20th century, to be known forever as the third Period of Reawakening or the Singing Revolution.

Dauderi

"Dauderi" house, which belongs to the National History Museum of Latvia, is located in one of Rīga's neighbourhoods - Sarkandaugava. It was opened in 1990 and is the only museum in this area.

Mentzendorff House

The Mentzendorff House, with its 17th–18th century atmosphere, is the only museum of its kind in the Baltics. The museum introduces visitors to the traditions of a wealthy Rigan’s household.

Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation

This is the oldest public museum in Latvia and one of the oldest in Europe, the origin of which dates back to 1773. The Museum's 16 exposition halls tell of the creation and development of Riga over more than 800 years, as well as shipping in the territory of Latvia from the 10th century until today.

1991 Barricades Museum

The 1991 Barricades Museum was established in 2001 on the basis of historical items collected by the association of participants of the barricades of 1991. The museum is located in the heart of Rīga's Old Town, on Krāmu Street, where those on the barricades used to eat and relax. Its mission is to realize, preserve, study and communicate the spirit and the material evidence about the events of January and August 1991 in Latvia and hold dear the memory of the victims.

Museum of the Occupation of Latvia

The Museum reveals Latvia's history from 1940 until 1991, when occupations by both the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany were experienced.

Latvian Ethnographic Open-air Museum

The Latvian Ethnographic Open-air Museum is one of the oldest open-air museums in Europe. Now its territory covers 87.66 hectares of forest on the banks of Lake Jugla. The museum displays 118 historic buildings from all Latvian regions - Kurzeme, Vidzeme, Zemgale and Latgale dating from the 17th century to the beginning of 1930s.

The Corner House

The Corner House, a project by the Occupation Museum, provides the opportunity for the wider public to gain insight into the former KGB, or ‘Cheka’, headquarters in Riga by preparing an exhibition on the institution’s operation in Latvia and a tour of the building.

This website uses mandatory cookies.With your consent, cookies necessary for statistics and marketing may also be used on this website.
If you accept additional cookies, please select your choice: