Rīgas vēstures un kuģniecības muzejs

About the museum

The museum was founded in 1773 on the basis of the private collection of the Riga physician Nikolaus von Himzel, which he later bequeathed to the city. It is the oldest public museum in Latvia and one of the oldest in Europe. Over time the collection has grown into a broad holding that documents more than 800 years of Riga’s history, as well as the development of shipping and maritime trade in the region.

The museum is part of the Riga Cathedral ensemble in the heart of Old Riga – a historic complex that developed between the 13th and 20th centuries. The ensemble includes the cathedral itself, the Gothic cloister courtyard and the museum building, in which the 18th-century classicist Kolonnu zāle (Column Hall) stands out.

The 16 exhibition halls display ancient Latvian jewellery, tools and weapons, the 13th-century “Rīgas kuģis” (Riga Ship), Hanseatic-era weights and scales, the sword of the Riga executioner, the world’s smallest camera, the MINOX, works by Riga silversmiths and the legendary figure Lielais Kristaps (“Big Christopher”), one of the city’s most recognisable symbols. The museum’s collection holds hundreds of thousands of objects: artefacts, ship models, maps, household items and decorative objects.

Highlights

• 16 exhibition halls on Riga’s development over more than 800 years
• The 13th-century “Rīgas kuģis” (Riga Ship)
• Lielais Kristaps – a symbol of Riga
• The MINOX, the world’s smallest camera
• The 18th-century classicist Column Hall in the Dom ensemble

Founded

1773

Admission & discounts

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Accessibility

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Kids & families

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Getting there & parking

The museum is in Old Riga, in the Riga Cathedral ensemble.

Amenities & dining

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Events & venue rental

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