Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation, Maritime museum in Old Town, Latvia
Description
The Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation is a building in Old Town housing 16 exhibition halls with maps, engravings, silverware, porcelain, ship models, and navigational instruments. The collections document different periods of the city's history and maritime development.
History
The building was founded in 1773 from a private collection by Doctor Nikolaus von Himsel and is considered Latvia's oldest public museum and one of the earliest in Europe. Its creation reflected growing interest in city history and scientific study during the 18th century.
Culture
The Column Hall displays objects from the Hanseatic League period, including ancient weights and measures along with traditional Latvian ornaments and tools that visitors can examine today. These items show how trade and craftsmanship worked during that era.
Practical
The museum sits in a historic building in Old Town and is easy to reach from all sides, with clear signs to the different exhibition areas. Visitors should allow time for exploration since the collection spreads across multiple floors.
Did you know?
The collection includes the Minox camera, one of the world's smallest photo cameras, which was used as a spy tool during World War II. Among roughly half a million objects sits the ceremonial sword of the Riga executioner, an unexpected artifact from daily life in earlier centuries.
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