Latvijas Etnogrāfiskais brīvdabas muzejs
About This Museum
Did you know this is one of the oldest open-air museums in all of Europe? Nestled in a serene pine forest by Lake Jugla, it feels less like a museum and more like stepping directly into a living, breathing 18th-century Latvian village. You can wander down country roads past windmills, churches, and over a hundred historic wooden farmsteads, each one meticulously relocated from every region of Latvia. The air smells of woodsmoke and wildflowers, and if you're lucky, you'll catch a craftsman demonstrating blacksmithing or pottery using centuries-old techniques. It’s an utterly immersive escape that makes history feel vividly present.
Collection Highlights
Don't miss the towering Usma church with its hand-carved altar or the hauntingly beautiful Kūļi farmstead with its thatched roof and massive clay oven. The collection of traditional fishing boats pulled up by the lakeshore tells its own silent story of life on the water.
Visitor Information
Wear comfortable shoes because this place is vast—it's a sprawling 87 hectares to explore! The experience changes completely with the seasons; summer is lush and full of craft demonstrations, while a winter visit offers a stark, beautiful landscape perfect for a snowy walk followed by warming up in a traditional farmhouse.
Architecture & Building
It's not one building but a whole village! The architecture is purely vernacular—think rustic timber farmsteads with steeply pitched thatched roofs, charming wooden churches with shingled steeples, and classic post windmills, all arranged to reflect Latvia's distinct cultural regions.
Contact & Location
Address: Latvijas Etnogrāfiskais brīvdabas muzejs, Berģu iela, Baloži, Berģi, Teikas apkaime, Rīga, LV-1024, Latvija
Phone: +371 29 181 219
