The Latvian Museum of Photography is the only museum in Riga devoted to photography. The museum is a division of the Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation and is open for visitors since 1993. It is situated in an old merchant building from the 16th century, and in the exhibition halls the renovated colorful wall paintings and the historic parquet flooring ornament can be seen. The building is located near the Riga Film Museum and the Latvian Sport Museum on Alksnaju street in one of the oldest building areas of Riga dated from year 1500.
The author of the permanent exposition “Development of Photography in Latvia. 1839 – 1940” is the historian Peteris Korsaks who has worked for many years in the Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation and the Latvian Museum of Photography. The exhibition is installed in the halls on the second floor, but the temporary expositions are exhibited on the third floor. In the museum exhibitions of Latvian and foreign photographers and scientific conferences are organized, as well as the museum's stored collections are exhibited on a regular basis. An authentic painted background used in the photo studio of photographer Martins Luste in Mazsalaca in the beginning of the 20th century can also be viewed in the museum. In addition to the exposition and other exhibitions, the museum experts offer tours, lectures and consultations.
The mission of the Latvian Museum of Photography is to study the development of photography in the territory of Latvia from its very beginning till nowadays. The main goal of the museum is to search for and to preserve photographic assets (photo negatives, copies, photo equipment, albums etc.), to supplement the collection with original works and other significant exhibits, to document the development of photography in Latvia, to make the information available to public and to promote incorporation of photography in current cultural events.
