The Museum of the Occupation of Latvia tells the story of the half century from 1940 to 1991, when the country was occupied first by the Soviet Union, then by Nazi Germany and then by the Soviet Union again. The exhibition follows the arrests and mass deportations to Siberia, the Holocaust in Latvia, the resistance, the long Soviet decades and the Singing Revolution that brought independence back in 1991. Personal objects, letters and testimony from survivors make it deeply human, and a reconstructed Gulag barrack shows the conditions deportees endured. The museum stands on Latviešu strēlnieku laukums, beside the Town Hall Square, in the dark building that was originally put up in Soviet times as a memorial to the Latvian Riflemen.
How to visit: allow at least ninety minutes. The museum is open every day, and an English-language guided tour runs several times a day, which is the best way to understand the material if you have limited time; an audio guide is also available. Adult entry has a modest fee, and entry is free for children and young people under eighteen.
What to expect: the content is serious and at times distressing, but it is presented with restraint. It is not suited to young children. Free entry days include several national commemorative dates, among them 18 November.
Going further: the museum also manages the former KGB headquarters, the Corner House on Brīvības iela, where cells and interrogation rooms can be seen on guided visits. Check its current opening and booking arrangements before you go.
What to expect
The experience
A museum exhibition on the Soviet and Nazi occupations, with optional guided tours in English several times a day.
Best time
Late morning, joining one of the scheduled English tours.
How long
About ninety minutes to two hours.
Tips
Take the guided tour if you can, allow time to reflect afterwards, and check the Corner House arrangements separately.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Anyone who wants to understand Latvia’s twentieth century.
- Families
- Suitable for teenagers; not recommended for young children.
- Couples
- A sobering but essential visit; pair it with a quiet walk by the river.
- Pair with
- Riga Old Town, House of the Black Heads and Riga Central Market.
- Time needed
- About two hours.
Good questions
Is the Museum of the Occupation free?+
Adults pay a modest fee; entry is free for under-18s and on certain national commemorative days.
Are there tours in English?+
Yes, scheduled guided tours run several times a day, and an audio guide is available.
When is it open?+
Every day from morning to early evening, apart from a few public holidays.
Is the KGB building part of the museum?+
The museum manages visits to the Corner House, the former KGB headquarters; check current tour times separately.
Is it suitable for children?+
The subject is distressing, so it suits teenagers better than young children.
