Eight museums of the Association of Memorial Museums invite visitors to a special experiential practice — “Here and Now”. Each museum offers a different way to pause for a moment — by listening, writing, observing, or simply being in silence, drawing inspiration from the personality whose museum the visitor is exploring.
The eight museums of the Association have each created a unique experience, inviting visitors to meditate, write, listen, reflect, or quietly observe the exhibition. These moments encourage slowing down, turning attention to one’s thoughts, feelings, and surroundings — experiencing the museum as a place of presence and inspiration through the life stories, creative work, or living spaces of remarkable individuals.
At the Rainis and Aspazija Summer House in Jūrmala, visitors can experience a guided meditation in the sunny tower room, inviting them to listen to their body, mind, and heart. The meditation is led and narrated by certified contemplative meditation teacher Raina Loka.
At the Janis Rozentāls and Rūdolfs Blaumanis Museum, the focus is on a lesser-known side of the artist — his philosophically inclined letters. Visitors are invited to choose one at random and allow themselves a quiet moment of reflection.
The Jānis Akuraters Museum encourages visitors to immerse themselves in Akuraters’ poetry. Questions accompanying the poems inspire contemplation of the symbols and themes within the texts, guiding visitors into the gardens of their own imagination.
At the Rainis Museum “Jasmuiža”, Andrejs Paulāns’ workshop-kiln comes to life through a soundscape where one can hear the spinning of clay vessels, the breath of the kiln’s flames, and the playful calls of whistle figurines.
The Rainis and Aspazija House in Riga offers the opportunity to reserve a special moment in the poets’ apartment — alone or with a companion. The authentic environment, filled with their personal belongings, allows visitors to sense the atmosphere of their home. This meditative experience, unusual in the museum’s daily rhythm, invites guests to explore Rainis’ study and Aspazija’s room at an unhurried pace, imagining how the poets once lived here.
(Please book in advance: +371 29254193 or rainis.maja@mma.gov.lv)
At the Ojārs Vācietis Museum, visitors can open the poet’s symbolic “poetry portfolio” — a selection of poems, images, and reflections illuminating 21 of his life values. Guests are invited to spend time with these texts in the museum garden overlooking Lake Māra, drawing parallels with their own values.
In the Krišjānis Barons Museum, a special audio story fills the “Father of Dainas” room — a soundscape of quiet footsteps, the rustling of Daina (Dainas – folksongs) Cabinet slips, and folk songs guiding the listener through the cycle of human life.
“At the Andrejs Upīts Memorial Museum, different perspectives intersect — about the writer himself and his legacy. Public attitudes are varied, and museum visitors are equally diverse. In the living room, everyone will have the opportunity to record their reflections in a stylized guest book,” the museum notes.
Spaces dedicated to this experience are marked with chairs covered with colorful, crocheted seat pads created by craftswomen Ināra and Leonīda from the social enterprise tiptip.lv. The platform features handmade works by more than 70 Latvian seniors and people with special needs — items crafted with care, love, and dedication for everyday use and festive occasions.
The soundscapes for three of the museums were specially created for this project by Jēkabs Nīmanis.
“We are all in such a hurry, as if afraid to miss something — wanting to know more, see more, feel more. We rush through life as if wearing seven-league boots. We want visitors to pause, to find — and most importantly, to recognize — themselves in this very moment, in the museum. To devote time solely to themselves, their thoughts, and new insights inspired by the personality whose museum they are visiting,” says Sanita Kossoviča, Deputy Director for Development.
