ETHNOGRAPHIC OPEN AIR
MUSEUM. When entering the tiny Latvia of the former times that
hides unobtrusively behind the pine forest at Lake Jugla, don’t
strive to percieve it as a reality for it was a reality only to
those who have gone long long ago. But the objects, structures and
households still continue to exist. You, a visitor and a stranger
will be rewarded with the intimacy of these treasures of our
predecessors for a while. This feeling, like any reminiscence of
contemporary man, may be vague, imperfect or too subjective though
nursed by many and winnowed by the time. And yet, when walking into
the dim rooms of our forefathers and bending your head to the low
lintel, do remember the symbolic meaning of the movement and pay
homage to the history of Latvian people. Ethnographic Open-Air
Museum was founded in 1924. The project envisaged to transport
homesteads and social buildings characteristic of Kurzeme, Zemgale,
Vidzeme and Latgale to the museum and re-erect them there. In 1928
the first building - a threshing-barn of the 18th century - was set
up on old sandhills covered by a pine forest at Lake Jugla. In 1932
the museum was opened to the public and 5 houses from Vidzeme and 1
house from Latgale served as the first exhibits. Already in 1939
all the regions were represented by 40 objects. The collection of
Latvian Ethnographic Open -Air Museum is made up of 140 000 items.
At present 121 ancient buildings with more than 3000 household
objects are on display in the area of 87 hectars. Almost all the
sections of the population and ethnic groups as well as their
social and material culture are represented there. Like households
of Livi fishermen and Russian old-orthodox, craftsmen workshops of
woodworkers and smithies, Latgale potters, Vidzeme weawers and
potters. 100 000 people visit the museum each year and we hope thet
you as one of them will enjoy the time spent here.
ETHNOGRAPHIC OPEN- AIR
MUSEUM IS OPENED FROM 10a.m. to 5 p.m. DAILY (all
year)
Adress: 440 Brivibas gatve, LV - 1024, Riga, Latvija
www.muzeji.lv; wwwltg.lv/english/brivdabas.muzejs;
www.muzejs.lv
Parking coordinates are: 56.59.690N 24.16.163E
Cache is plastic jar into plastic bag, contains logbook, pen,
pencil.