Eight museums belonging to The Association of Memorial Museums invite visitors to a special experiential practice – “Here and Now.” Each museum offers visitors a different way to pause for a moment – listening, writing, observing, or simply being silent, drawing inspiration from the personality of the museum visitor.
Eight museums of The Association of Memorial Museums have each created their own unique offer, inviting visitors to meditate, write, listen, reflect or simply observe the exhibition undisturbed. These experiences allow you to pause for a moment, focus on your thoughts, feelings and surroundings – to experience the museum as a place to be present and be inspired by the life stories, creative work or living space of personalities.
At The Rainis and Aspazija’s summer house in Jūrmala, sitting in the sunny summer house tower, visitors are invited to listen to their bodies, minds, and hearts. The meditation is led and narrated by certified contemplative meditation teacher Raina Loka.
At The Janis Rozentals and Rudolfs Blaumanis Museum, the focus this time is on a lesser-known aspect of the artist’s personality – his philosophically oriented letters. Visitors are invited to randomly select one of them and indulge in a moment of quiet contemplation and reflection.
The Jānis Akuraters Museum, on the other hand, invites visitors to delve into the poetry of Jānis Akuraters. The questions accompanying the poems will not only encourage reflection on the symbols and themes used in the text, but will also take visitors into the gardens of his imagination.
At The Rainis Museum “Jasmuiža”, Andrejs Paulāns’ workshop-kiln “Here and Now” will come to life for visitors through a soundscape where they can hear the turning of clay pots, the breath of the kiln’s flames, and the playful chirping of birds.
The Rainis and Aspazija House in Riga offers the opportunity to reserve a special moment in the poets’ apartment – alone or with a partner. The authentic environment with both of their personal belongings allows you to feel the atmosphere of the poets’ home. This meditative experience, unusual for a museum, invites you to leisurely explore Rainis’ study and Aspazija’s room, imagining how the poets lived their daily lives here. (Please register in advance by calling +371 29254193 or emailing rainis.māja@mma.gov.lv)
At The Ojārs Vācietis Museum, visitors will be able to open the poet’s symbolic “poetry portfolio” – a selection of poems, images and reflections that highlight the poet’s 21 values in life. Visitors are invited to spend time with these texts in the museum garden overlooking Lake Māra and draw parallels with their own values in life.
At The Krišjānis Barons Museum, a special audio story will be played in Krišjānis Barons’ room – a soundtrack with quiet footsteps, the turning of pages in the Dainas cabinet, and folk songs that take the listener through the circle of human life.
“At The Andrejs Upīts Memorial Museum, there are currently different views – both about the writer himself and his legacy. Public opinion is divided, and museum visitors are also very diverse. In the guest room, everyone will have the opportunity to write their thoughts in a stylized guest book,” says the museum about the offer.
The location for this offer in the museum is marked with chairs covered with colorful, crocheted seat covers created by Ināra and Leonīda, craftswomen from the social enterprise “tiptip.lv”. tiptip.lv offers more than 70 handicrafts made by Latvian seniors and people with special needs, which have been created with careful work, great love and care for everyday use and celebrations.
The sound tracks for this project were created especially for the three museums by Jēkabs Nīmanis.
