Embassy of Latvia, Washington, D.C., diplomatic mission of the Republic of Latvia to the United States
The Embassy of Latvia in Washington, D.C. is a Spanish Colonial Revival building located on Massachusetts Avenue that serves as the office and residence of Latvia's diplomatic representatives. The house was designed in 1902 by architect Waddy Butler Wood and features red-tile roofs, stucco walls, arched windows, and decorative ironwork throughout.
The house was designed in 1902 as a private residence and initially served as the living and working studio of artist Alice Pike Barney. After her family's time, it was given to the Smithsonian Institution in 1961 and used as a museum house before Latvia acquired it around 2001 to serve as its embassy.
The building carries the legacy of Alice Pike Barney, an artist who once lived and created here. Today visitors can sense how this space bridges artistic heritage with diplomatic purpose, honoring both chapters of its past.
The building is located on Massachusetts Avenue, a street filled with historic houses and embassies, and is surrounded by well-maintained gardens. The site is easily accessible and can be explored as part of a walk through Washington's historic neighborhoods.
The house was originally the living and working studio of artist Alice Pike Barney and was nearly lost before a group called Friends of Alice Pike Barney Studio House raised funds to save it. This preservation effort reveals how communities stepped in to protect a building full of creative history before Latvia claimed it for its mission.
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