The Riga Art Nouveau Museum is situated on Albert Street, a popular tourist attraction in its own right, thanks to the many Art Nouveau buildings found along it. Because of the time involved in visiting both the main museum and the 5th-floor apartment—expect to spend at least an hour there—walking tours and architecture tours that visit Albert Street will simply point the museum out rather than take you inside. After visiting the museum and walking along Albert Street, be sure to pop over to Elizabeth Street to see its façades as well.
With no reservations and the choice of paying for tickets with cash or by card, the museum is a good option for spontaneous tourists.
There is no elevator in the museum, and access is only possible via its spiral staircase, meaning there are barriers to entry for people using wheelchairs or those with restricted mobility.
Touring this museum isn’t just suited to architecture enthusiasts; it should also appeal to people interested in history thanks to its period furnishing.
The museum often hosts interactive and educational events for children.
Head for Albert Street in the city center north of the Old Town and Kronvalda Park to reach the Riga Art Nouveau Museum. Walking is the best way to get there from Riga Old Town and takes roughly 20 minutes. If you want to come by public transport, you can take the #11 tram to the Kronvalda bulvāris stop or the #2, #19, or #24 bus to the Medicīnas Muzejs stop.
Except for being closed on Mondays, the Riga Art Nouveau Museum is open daily from the late morning to early evening. The museum tends to get busier over the weekend and during the mid-afternoon, so try to visit during the middle of the week and either go first thing as it opens or hold off until the end of the day. As an indoor activity, it’s an excellent option to save for poor weather.
The apartment visitors can see in the Riga Art Nouveau Museum once belonged to architect Konstantins Peksens, who designed the building. Great effort has gone into recreating the rooms as they would have been for him in 1903, from the kitchen with a refrigerator and cookware to the restroom’s old-fashioned toilet and ornate vanity. You’ll also notice a consistent floral motif on the walls and stained-glass windows.
