Latvians Abroad Museum and Research Centre is a private non-profit organisation founded in 2007 with an office, collection store, library and staff in Riga, and an active board and members in Latvia and abroad. The Latvians Abroad Museum produces travelling exhibitions, publications, films and other projects about Latvian emigrant life, their culture and contribution to Latvia and the world. Eventually, we plan to have a permanent exposition in the Museum’s own building.
The main theme of the Latvians Abroad Museum is the history of emigration from Latvia and life in the diaspora: emigrants to Russia in the late 19th century in search of land, Baptist emigrants to South America, refugees of the 1905 revolution and World War I, World War II refugees, contemporary emigrants (including descendants of former emigrants) and others. The Latvians Abroad Museum collects objects which reflect the diverse reasons for emigrating, the experiences and testimonies of the everyday lives of Latvians abroad, their communities and maintaining their identity outside of Latvia from various points of view. We are interested in everyday, written, artistic, audiovisual and digital items, for example personal belongings, items belonging to organisations, photographs, books, letters, handicrafts, tools and oral testimonies.
The Latvians Abroad Museum has an extensive network of supporters both in Latvia (Latvian National Library, Association of Latvian History Teachers, Association of Latvian Oral History Researchers “Dzīvesstāsts”, University of Latvia, Latvia Museum of Occupation, et al), and abroad – for example, diaspora organisations such as the World Federation of Free Latvians, American Latvian Association, Latvian Foundation Inc., Daugavas Vanagi – the Latvian Welfare Trust representations, Latvian embassies throughout the world and others. The Museum is a longstanding member of the Association of European Migration Institutions (AEMI). The Latvians Abroad Museum is also a member of the Latvian association of Museums. (Other supporters can be found in the section Partners.)
