On Saturday, 14 May, Riga Castle – the residence of the President of Latvia – will take part in the international campaign European Museum Night, opening its doors to visitors from 15:00 until midnight. Visitors will be able to enjoy musical performances by the National Armed Forces and the National Guard, and the diplomatic gift room will be opened to visitors for the first time.
- The Latvian National Armed Forces Army Orchestra will perform in Riga Castle Square at 15:00 and at 16:30, and band “Drumline Latvia” will perform at 18:00.
- From 15:30 until 23:00 the National Guard Orchestra Band and the National Armed Forces Army Orchestra Band will perform on the Riga Castle balcony.
- From 15:00 until 23:00 the National Guard Choir and the National Guard Jazz band will perform in the Festival Hall of Riga Castle, the National Armed Forces Orchestra Clarinet Quartet will perform here from 20:30.
- From 15:00 kokle player Namejs Kalniņš and kokle band “Balti” will perform in the Ambassador Accreditation Hall of Riga Castle.
This year, for the first time, visitors will be able to see the gift room, where diplomatic gifts received by the President of Latvia are displayed. As always, visitors will be able to see all the representation rooms in the Castle-Front section of Riga Castle: the Coats of Arms Hall, the White Hall, the Ambassador Accreditation Hall and the Festival Hall, as well as other rooms: the main lobby and staircase, the Green Hall and the Blue Foyer, the Riga Room, Dorothea’s Room and the office of Jānis Čakste, First President of Latvia. Sets of all of the highest state awards of Latvia will also be on display during Museum Night.
From 19:00 visitors will be able to enjoy warm tea provided by the field kitchen of the Command Battalion.
Museum Night at Riga Castle will be dedicated to the reinforcement of Latvia’s statehood 100 years ago, when the War of Independence had ended and the Constitutional Assembly was working on creating a system of government for the independent Latvia. The adoption of the Satversme and the creation of government institutions was an important turning point in the development of the democratic state of Latvia. The President of the Constitutional Assembly and later also the First President of Latvia Jānis Čakste is a symbol of Latvia’s statehood and democracy.
Riga Castle is a unique cultural historic monument in the Baltic region, throughout the centuries it has been a symbol of authority and for 100 years already – a symbol of our statehood. The presidents of Latvia both prior to the occupation of Latvia and after the restoration of national independence have worked at Riga Castle, and each of them has played an important role in shaping the state of Latvia.
Please be aware that there will be a security check at the entrance to Riga Castle. We kindly ask that visitors not bring with them large bags, food, pets or metal objects. Due to the expected number of visitors and the limited number of people that may be inside Riga Castle at any given time, visitors are kindly asked to be prepared that visitor flows will be regulated and queues may form.