On Saturday, May 23, 246 museums and other cultural institutions across Latvia will welcome visitors during the Night of Museums, the Ministry of Culture informed the LETA agency.
This is one more than last year, said Minister of Culture Agnese Laizane (Progressives) at a press conference. This year, 82 cultural venues will welcome visitors in Riga and its surroundings, 51 in Vidzeme, 49 in Kurzeme, 39 in Latgale, and 25 in Zemgale.
The minister noted that the overall number of museum visitors is increasing, but has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels of "Covid-19".
This year's unifying theme of the Night of Museums is "The Adventures of the Object". It resonates with Rainis's saying "Even a rag was once an honorable shirt," reminding us that every object has its own story and value.
Kristīne Milere, Chair of the Board of the Latvian National Committee of the International Council of Museums (ICOM Latvia), noted at the press conference that museums help to connect the past and the future, the local and the international, as well as various communities. Additionally, the Night of Museums makes the less visible work of museums in everyday life more apparent. According to Milere, a museum is not just a place, but a space where people can communicate. This year's theme, "The Adventures of the Object," allows museums to tell stories about objects as carriers of experiences, memories, and values significant to society.
To make the Night of Museums more accessible, on May 23 after 6 PM, "Pasažieru vilciens" offers a 50% discount on train tickets.
The program for the Night of Museums can be found on the website latvia.icom.museum.lv.
The Night of Museums in Latvia will take place for the 22nd time. Its main offering for visitors is free, however, there may be an entrance fee for certain events.
