Turaida
Museum Reserve

Mission & objectives, history


The Mission of Turaida Museum Reserve is to build a harmonious society by showing the development of Latvian wisdom of life and expierence through natural, cultural and historical values accumulated in Turaida Region in the period of one thousand years.

Turaida Museum Reserve performs the following functions:

  • Maintain, manage and develop the Museum stock - a part of the National Museum collection.
  • Carry out scientific research of the collection of the Museum and related information.
  • Educate the public, ensure the availability of the Museum valuables.
  • Study, restore and maintain the cultural and historical environment.
  • Maintain and develop the infrastructure necessary for the operation of the Museum.
  • Restore, repair and maintain the relevant cultural monuments.
  Strategic goals
  • In order to maintain historical memory and create public opinion, to study and document the natural and cultural environment, monuments, tangible and intangible cultural heritage of the historical centre of Turaida and the District and purposefully complete the Museum Reserve stock.
  • In order to get acquainted with the identity and diversity of the Latvian cultural heritage and to create the image of Latvia, to preserve, maintain and restore the buildings - monuments, natural and cultural environment, tangible and intangible cultural heritage of the historical centre of Turaida.
  • In order to promote the development and social stability of the District, to the forms and efficiency of the Museum Reserve communication, develop cultural tourism and expand the range of target audience.
  • To ensure the improvement of the activities of the Museum Reserve as a cultural heritage institution and to increase the professional competence of its employees. OPERATIONAL PRIORITIES FOR 2014-2023
    • Protection and maintenance of cultural heritage and nature in the historical centre of Turaida.
    • Promotion of universal human values and the Latvian view of life and education of the society using the cultural and natural heritage accumulated in the historical centre of the District and Turaida over a thousand years, ensuring the availability of a high-quality and diverse offer of the Museum Reserve.
      VISION – 2023
  • The historical centre of Turaida is preserved and maintained in the public interest, with its characteristic natural, cultural and historical environment, monuments, tangible and intangible cultural heritage.
  • Museumisation of the natural and cultural heritage of the historical centre of Turaida and creation of an open-air exposition throughout the area.
  • Totality of the heritage of Turaida historical centre - monuments, cultural environment, stock and arranged expositions - make a story (message) for visitors to become familiar with the cultural history of Latvia for more than a millennium, from the 10th to the 21st century.
  • Between 2014 and 2023, old expositions replaced and more than 10 new ones (including expositions on cultural environment) arranged in all buildings - monuments.
  • Purposefully completed materials for new expositions and continued data input into the Electronic Catalogue of the National Museum Holdings on the Museum Reserve stock items, improved the stock storage conditions.
  • Due to the research work, a publication on stock items and cultural heritage of the historical centre of Turaida is prepared and published every year.
  • In popularising the intangible cultural heritage and the Folk Song Hill, in co-operation with the Latvian Academy of Sciences, a study on the system of values - the basis of national identity presented in Latvian folk songs is published in several languages, spiritual heritage and Latvian view of life is popularised.
  • Archaeological studies continued in the sites of the Livs, the exposition "The Gauja Livs in Latvia`s Cultural History" supplemented, a catalogue of items placed in the exposition published, the second basic nation of Latvia popularised.
  • Preservation and partial restoration of all exposed masonry in the Turaida Castle carried out regularly, northern fore-castle walls restored, co-operation projects developed, and the Turaida Hill Fort cleaning and strengthening performed.
  • Restoration and improvement of the Turaida Castle yard continued, visitors in the courtyard and in the Castle area can get familiarised with the history, architecture and development of the Castle due to the use of modern information technology.
  • The Northern Gate Tower and the north-eastern sector of the Turaida Castle are restored, both objects are accessible to visitors, where one can get familiarised with the restored interior details and virtual expositions.
  • In 2014, implemented the projects of events dedicated to the 800th anniversary of the Turaida Castle - the medieval cultural heritage.
  • A competition was organised for the improvement of the grave of the Rose of Turaida, and the study and restoration of the Church Hill complex graveyard fence was carried out, the Christian values were promoted and the cooperation with the Turaida Evangelical Lutheran Church was maintained.
  • Completed restoration and improvement of the territory at the parish corn house. By decision of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Latvia, the land purchased and the territory arranged by the Ošu House. The Museum Reserve Scientific Centre arranged in the corn house, as well as the exposition "The Museum Reserve in Time and Space" on the creation and development of the Museum Reserve, on the preservation of the natural and cultural heritage of the historical centre of Turaida, and the summary was published.
  • The Vagara House ensemble renovated, the Vagara House garden made and maintained, the interior exposition and office premises for cultural environment experts arranged in the Vagara House, a collection of milk wooden vessels disposed in the pantry.
  • A project was developed and the Peasant House was restored, were the exposition "Farmer, Peasant, Citizen" dedicated to the centenary of the State of Latvia was arranged.
  • The Servants' House of the Manor was restored, were they established the Turaida Crafts House, created workshops for manor crafts skills and folk applied arts studios, arranged educational programmes "Crafts in the Turaida Manor".
  • Continued project and developed opportunity to tell with the museum working methods about the recent cultural heritage and the Soviet period.
  • Was arranged an architectural competition and reconstructed a barn-stables complex as a multifunctional administrative centre of the Museum Reserve with an inner courtyard and separate manor house former function.
  • Was developed a project and modified the entrance unit due to the reconstruction of the barn-stables and for the safety of visitors crossing the intersections of the roads of national significance.
  • In co-operation with the state responsible traffic institutions and the Ministry of Culture, the issue of secure access to the Museum Reserve and expansion of the parking lot was resolved.
  • Works on the renovation of the Swiss Home Ensemble started.
  • The manor pond cascade maintained, repaired and restored, and the area around it landscaped.
  • For the purpose of familiarisation with the natural and cultural heritage of the historical centre of Turaida, new directions of the flow of visitors and thematic tours covering the entire territory of the Museum Reserve and an open-air exposition were developed and arranged, a guide-book was published.
  • Maintenance of communication corresponding to modern information technologies and provision of E-services.
  • In order to implement the mission and objectives of the Museum Reserve, targeted programmes, events and activities were developed and offered to tourists and local public, presenting multilaterally the natural, tangible and intangible cultural heritage of the historical centre of Turaida.
  • Continued work on providing information in foreign languages and expanding the co-operation network with tourism service providers.
  • Improved visitor service quality and provided full museum service, involving the private sector and fostering private-public partnership.
  • In order to implement the joint projects, regular co-operation was maintained with supporters of the Museum Reserve service, cultural heritage institutions and experts, local governments, non-governmental organisations, and the Support Society of the Museum Reserve.
  • Was promoted further education and professional competence of the employees, participation in the exchange of skills and joint projects with Latvian and foreign museums and international cultural heritage institutions.
  • Were developed and implemented projects of video surveillance, security and fire safety for all areas, buildings and expositions.
  • The developed Project "Reconstruction of fire safety systems in the Turaida Castle complex" was implemented.
  • Using modern technologies, the exposition supervisory and exhibit item safety system was improved, reducing the supervisory staff and increasing the number of specialists for creative work.
  • Solutions of the new co-operation model due to the termination of the lease agreement with the state joint-stock company VAS „Valsts nekustamie īpašumi” in 2017.
  • In co-operation with the Krimulda Municipality, preservation of the Turaida brick-kiln and the old cattle-shed of Turaida Manor started.
  • Continued the link between solutions included in the Detailed Plan and the preservation of the cultural heritage and implementation of the objectives of the Museum Reserve, observance of the Museum Reserve protective belt (protective zone) provisions, and the development of the by-pass road concept.
  • Was ensured a regulatory system stimulating the development of the Museum Reserve.
  • Was ensured stability of own income and expansion of the sources of income.

 

Turaida Museum Reserve