The Ethnographic Open-Air Museum of Latvia cares for a large and complex cultural heritage. This includes 114 historic buildings in the Riga exhibition, the museum’s collections, as well as buildings in the museum’s rural museum sites preserved in situ – Vēveri in Vecpiebalga and the fishermen’s farmstead Vītolnieki in Pape (Rucava).
The museum’s Restoration Department consists of 13 specialists, including conservators of metal, textiles and polychrome wood, as well as blacksmiths, carpenters and technical staff. Large-scale restoration projects and works requiring specialised expertise are carried out through external contractors.
Types of Conservation Work
Restoration activities at the museum fall into three main categories:
- Preventive maintenance – regular care and monitoring to prevent deterioration of buildings and objects, including roof cleaning, tar treatment of wooden structures, maintenance of drainage systems and insect monitoring.
- Minor repairs and conservation – smaller interventions intended to prevent more serious damage, such as repairs to roofs and fences, replacement of damaged elements and protective treatment of surfaces.
- Major restoration works – larger projects ensuring the long-term preservation and structural stability of historic buildings, including roof replacement, foundation restoration and the repair of historic ovens and stoves.
Recent Restoration Works
The most visible works for visitors are often roof repairs and replacement of traditional roof coverings.
In 2025 major works in the Riga exhibition included restoration of the reed roofs of the Mauri dwelling house and the Kalna Kundziņi bathhouse, restoration of the fieldstone foundations of the Priedes roadside tavern, as well as roof repairs to several other historic buildings.
At the Vēveri rural museum site restoration works included repairs to the foundations of the Virolvēveri stable, roof works on the Vecvēveri dwelling house, and restoration of the Streinvēveri granary roof.
At the Vītolnieki fishermen’s farmstead restoration work was carried out in the stable/cowshed building, including renewal of part of the wooden flooring.
Everyday Conservation Work
Much of the museum’s conservation work is less visible but essential for the preservation of historic buildings and collections. This includes maintenance of historic structures, restoration of wooden elements and fences, roof cleaning, and conservation of collection objects.
Museum specialists also carry out conservation of textiles, restoration of metal objects, and production of historically accurate replicas of tools, boats and fishing equipment used in exhibitions and educational programmes.
