Riga Museums are great when looking for things to do in Riga on those rainy days!
One thing to remember with Riga Museums, is that that they are closed on Mondays, but do not despair – you could always join one of our tours such as the Riga Art Nouveau Tour to pass the time, Riga, after all, is a living museum! Below is the list of our favourite museums in Riga.
State Museum of Art
The State Museum of Art is one of the most beautiful architectural monuments in Riga as well as being a fine art museum.
The Art museum consists of more than 32 000 items, including Classical Art, Baroque, Rococo, Graphics, Portraits etc in the main building and contemporary and Soviet era art – in their other space “Arsenals”, in the Old Town.
Riga State Museum of Art is a great way to spend all day gazing at magnificent works and walk around beautiful 1900′s styled halls.It is by far one of the greatest art museums in Europe and one of our favourite museums in Riga.
Address: K.Valdemāra iela 10a,
Torņa iela 1
http://www.lnmm.lv/lv/lnmm/
Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation
The exhibitions of one of the oldest museums in Europe reflect the history of Riga from ancient times to this very day.
Starting from the very first inhabitants and their tools, arms, guns, armour suits, coins and countless other subjects. Swedish, German, Polish, Russian, Lithuanian, Jewish and Estonian. and of course the most important part of Riga history – navigation.
Riga has always been the center for trading and shipping. In the museum of the history of Riga, you have the possibility to see the might and the power of this city, these are two really great Museums in Riga for you to explore.
Address: Palasta iela 4
http://www.rigamuz.lv
Latvian Ethnographic Open Air Museum
While visiting Riga, you must take the opportunity to see the oldest European Open Air Museum, which surrounds more than 100 hectares!
The museum is an island of Latvian folk art, where the ancient way of life is carefully recreated and preserved for future generations. More than ninety authentic houses, farmsteads, windmills, wooden churches, fishermen’s villages and other historic structures have been brought here from different regions of Latvia.
And if you want to see real craftsmen working, there are 18 of them in the museum – weavers, blacksmiths, potters and others. Feasts, celebrations, workshops all the year in the most organic museum in Riga, Latvia and maybe in the whole world.
Address: Brīvības gatve 440
http://www.brivdabasmuzejs.lv/
Latvian War Museum
Latvia has always been in the middle of most of the wars of Europe, that’s why Latvian War Museum is one of the most essential and important museums in Riga.
Located in the only tower left from 25 fortification structures from Swedish times, that was used for storing gun powder, The museum makes it’s own mood.
A rich collection of the museum includes weapons, uniforms, documents, photographs, newspapers, military maps, leaflets, orders and awards, personal effects and more and more. And the most interesting exhibits – from both of the World Wars.
Address: Smilšu iela 20
Riga Motor Museum
You can’t pass by this unique museum and miss it, the facade of which looks like an unusual automobile radiator. This only museum of cars on the territory of the former USSR was opened in 1989.
In the two vast exhibition halls of the Riga Motor Museum, there are more than 100 motor vehicles including cars, motorcycles and bicycles exhibited.
The collection of the museum includes motorcycles from the early 20th century, military and sports vehicles, cars built in Latvia, the best classic limousines, cars from the garages of the Kremlin (among them Molotov’s car and Brezhnev’s limousine) and sports motorcycles. There are also vehicles from the museums of Germany and private collections. The museum is included in the list of the best technical museums in the world.
Address: S. Eizenšteina 6
Latvian Museum of Photography
Do you know, that the most popular spy camera “Minox” was invented and produced in Riga first. In the Latvian Museum of Photography you can see not only this famous device and pictures from it, but also a wide exposition of photography in Riga and Latvia, starting from 1839.
More than 10,000 transparencies, negatives, photographic equipment, documents and books. A camera was maybe the most independent way how to express yourself during the Soviet era. Photographers had the possibility to make controversial shots and secretly develop them at home. Political, historical and cultural events in the history of Latvia, everyday life of common people, towns and villages – everything is illuminated in this Riga museum.
Address: Mārstaļu iela 8 (entry from Alksnāja iela)
Museum of Anatomy
The Museum of Anatomy was founded on 1920 as a study institute for Latvian University. Since 1987, the instance is a museum of the state.
The mission of the museum is to collect, preserve and popularise basic sectors of medicine, anatomy, historical statements and intellectual legacies, Research the evolution of anthropology in Latvia and Baltic in general, adapt in present anthropological studies with historical valuation and contrasts.
Address: Kronvalda bulvaris 9
http://www.mvm.lv/?mod=fil&x=a
Occupation museum
No doubt – The Museum of Occupation is “must see” museum in Riga. Placed in a concrete and metal coated “box”, that was a museum of Latvian Red Riflemen. That makes a powerful background for this tragedy of Latvian nation, that endured fifty years.
Latvia was occupied three times – by the USSR in 1940, then by Nazi Germany in 1941, and then again by the USSR in 1944. Videos, expositions, photos, examples, flags, posters, documents, exhibits etc. It all shows what happened in Latvia from 1940 to 1991, remembers about crimes been done and about the victims, that “perished, were persecuted, forcefully deported or fled the terror of the occupation regimes”
Address: Strēlnieku Laukums 1
http://www.occupationmuseum.lv/
Riga Aviation Museum
The Riga Aviation Museum developed over the past 40 years. It became a private museum in 1997 without any support from the Latvian state.
This aviation museum is unique in the Baltic countries and one of the largest in Europe. Its collection of Soviet aircraft is also the greatest in Post Soviet countries. Riga Aviation museum is located near Riga International Airport, of course. That’s why it gives an extra feeling like you are a VIP person of USSR being visiting an operating airport.
Address: Riga Airport
The National History Museum of Latvia
The National History Museum of Latvia is the largest repository of Latvian material culture. It was founded in 1869 as the museum of the Riga Latvian Society.
The mission of the National History Museum of Latvia in Riga is to preserve collect, research and popularise spiritual and material culture from Latvia and the world from ancient times until today, which has ethnographic, archaeological, numismatic, historical or artistic significance, in the interests of the Latvian nation and its people.
http://www.history-museum.lv/pages/majas.php
History of the Jews in Latvia
The History of the Jews in Latvia museum documents the history of the Jewish people living throughout Riga and the Latvian territory and is a great source of information for those of you keen to find out more about the Jewish story from the region. There is a Jewish Community Centre on the ground floor in the same Building as the museum.
Address:Skolas iela 6
http://www.shtetlinks.jewishgen.org/riga/jewishmuseumofriga.htm
