“Streaming Time” – a new exhibition on Latvian history – will be on display at Riga Castle from 21 March

Beginning 21 March, a new contemporary exhibition on Latvian history, “Streaming Time”, will be displayed at the Latvian National Museum of History in Riga Castle. This exhibition marks the first of several new displays created by the LNMH at the museum’s historic home.

With the launch of the “Streaming Time” exhibition, the museum will once again be open to the public from Tuesday to Sunday (Tuesday–Thursday 10:00–18:00, Friday 10:00–20:00, Saturday and Sunday 10:00–17:00), allowing visitors to view both the new exhibition and the restored Riga Castle.

The “Streaming Time” exhibition occupies an area of 620 m² on the 4^th floor of the castle. Historical objects and engaging digital content, combined in a unique design, tell the story of Latvia and its inhabitants from the earliest times to the present day. The passage of time is depicted through people’s affiliation with a larger community – such as a household, social class, congregation, association, movement or party – up to the present day, when we are experiencing novel forms of cooperation and new unifying goals.

The 12,000 years of Latvian history are split into nine themes: Inventive Humans, People of the Hillforts, City Walls Unite, Together in the Congregation, Born into One’s Class, Power of the Movement, Becoming a Citizen, Totalitarian Stranglehold and Return to Europe. Each section features a unique architectural form – a sculptural display. Together, these displays form a series of unusual shapes, winding like a river of time and allowing visitors to pass through.

The exhibition demonstrates that in the flow of time, everything exists simultaneously. It is evident in Latvia’s landscape – ancient hillforts and Baroque castles, sacred trees and stone churches, manor parks and collective farm centres coexist side by side. Our spiritual life, too – thoughts, ideas, perceptions of the world and ourselves – are shaped by the imprints left by previous generations forming a co-created cultural heritage. The theme of identity, belonging and the elements that unite society remain relevant today. What do I belong to today? What connects me with the rest of society? Has the meaning and scope of individual belonging changed, and if so, how? The exhibition encourages visitors to seek answers to these questions.

The “Streaming Time” exhibition was created by the team of the Latvian National Museum of History, including researchers, collection curators, restorers, etc., in collaboration with a number of partners. DJA, under the leadership of architect Didzis Jaunzems, designed the exhibition, while SOLAVI and AD PRODUCTION provided the production and installation of the displays, as well as the development of multimedia.

Along with the opening of the exhibition, a catalogue titled “Streaming Time: A Journey through Latvian History” will be available for purchase in the museum shop. This richly illustrated 280-page publication is offered in both Latvian and English. The catalogue includes items from the museum’s collection featured in the exhibition, along with texts that together provide a brief and comprehensive overview of Latvian history. The introductory essay is authored by Deniss Hanovs, with the exhibition’s authors contributing to the selection of items and accompanying texts.