Sense and hear the environment in which Rainis and Aspazija lived in the late 1920s. Look at the shelves of the library, which hold 9,000 books and periodicals, as well as many intriguing secrets.
The Rainis and Aspazija House at Baznīcas Street 30 is a unique monument to historical construction from the 19th century in the centre of Rīga. The two-story floor at the side of the street, the backyard house and the small interior courtyard are a cultural and historical monument. The poets lived in the house from September 15, 1926. Rainis lived there until his death in 1929, and Aspazija lived there until the spring of 1933.
The house contains memories about the visible and public life of the poets after they returned from 14 years of exile in Switzerland. They quickly found themselves at the centre of cultural and political life in Latvia.
On March 15, 1926, the poets wrote a will in which they said that the house should belong to the city of Rīga and that a museum named after them must be organised. “We are leaving our library and manuscripts, and they must be accessible to everyone,” they wrote.
Visitors can tour the memorial rooms and library of the poets. There is a hall in a separate building with changeable exhibitions. The apartment was restored and furnished on the basis of photographs, documentary films, memories and the diaries of the poets. Original objects came from the collection of the Literature and Music Museum. One of the dominant rooms is the personal library that is open to all interested parties and researchers. There are 6,067 books in 14 languages, as well as 2,900 various periodicals. The museum regularly organises readings, discussions, exhibitions and other events. That makes the Rainis and Aspazija House a centre for active cultural processes in Latvia.
The Rainis and Aspazija House was restored and adapted to museum needs by the State Joint-Stock Company State Real Estates, and the Association of Memorial Museums. Financing came from the European Economic Area programme Conservation and Revitalisation of Cultural And Natural Heritage.
