Riga Motor Museum

Rebuilt into a striking modern building, the Riga Motor Museum is the best of its kind in the region. Its strength is the Soviet story: the government limousines, the armoured cars of Stalin and Brezhnev, and a wrecked Rolls-Royce with a famous mannequin behind the wheel, alongside genuine pre-war racing machines.

Background

The museum was founded in 1989 on the initiative of the Latvia Antique Automobile Club. Its building in the Mežciems neighbourhood, at 6 Sergeja Eizenšteina Street, was designed by the architect Viktors Valgums. In 2013 it closed for reconstruction and every vehicle moved to a temporary site in Rāmava, and it reopened on 2 July 2016. Each of its three floors has its own theme. The 1938 Auto Union Type C/D on show is a replica. Viktors Kulbergs, who headed the club, saved the original from the scrapyard, and in 1995, after talks with Audi AG, it was exchanged for the copy. The original now stands in Audi's museum in Ingolstadt.

Source: Wikipedia, "Riga Motor Museum"

Highlights

• The Soviet leaders' cars - the armoured ZIS and ZIL limousines of Stalin, Khrushchev and Brezhnev.
• Pre-war racers - Auto Union and other Grand Prix machinery.
• Interactive displays - a modern, hands-on layout aimed at families.
• Rare Baltic vehicles - local and Soviet-era production you rarely see elsewhere.

When to go

Any time; it is a fully indoor museum, ideal for a wet day. Weekday afternoons are quietest.

Things to know

It is out in a residential district rather than central, so it takes a short journey. The building and presentation are excellent, though it is firmly a car museum, so appeal depends on your interest. Families tend to enjoy the interactive elements.

Nearby

Central Riga and the old town are a short ride west.

Key facts