Jūrmala Open-Air Museum

STILL LIFE ISN'T STILL
Jurmala Artists' Society exhibition in cooperation with the Jurmala Museum's art collection
Still life is a genre of fine art or a separate artwork depicting objects of living or inanimate nature arranged in a composition. Still life has been present through centuries - the first compositions can already be found in the art of the Ancient East, yet the Dutch are considered to be the originators of still life as a genre at the turn of the 16th - 17th centuries.
In the works of Dutch artists, sensual pleasures are depicted using a diverse range of objects: the rich table setting is complemented by flower bouquets and garlands, gorgeous gold and silverware, and spectacular metal and glass dishes. Fragile materials, wilting flowers, and overripe fruits lead viewers to turn away from philosophical reflections on the transitory nature of worldly pleasures. The works also capture domestic situations - a partially peeled lemon or a stain accidentally left by a knife or fork. The genre of still life experienced a new boom in the peak of post-impressionism in the 1880s and 1890s, as well as in the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, in the heyday of modernism.
In Latvian art, still life became popular around the First World War. After the war, the genre experienced a decline and was considered out of date.
Reviving in the 1960s, still lifes demonstrated unusual moods, a peculiar choice of subjects, and original settings. In the 1970s, coloring dominated artworks, but at the end of the 20th century, a pronounced tendency towards abstraction can be observed.
Still life still hasn't lost its relevance - as the testimony of the era, telling about the times we live in, about the things around us, and the change of perception. In their works, the artists of Jurmala tell about this day, about the simple and the complicated, about joy and experiences, about the known and already tested, and about the still unknown. Through the still life subject narrative, the authors open the door to their world and allow the viewer to look into it as well.
This time, the exhibition of the Jurmala Artists' Society, Still Life isn't Still, is complemented by a selection of still lifes from the Jurmala Museum's art collection, covering a wide period of time from the second half of the 18th century to the present day. Each work describes its era, traditions, and style. Three of the selected works in the exhibition come from the Jurmala Museum's golden heritage - Martins Pormanis' collection - Jakob Samuel Beck's Marten with a Bird, Johann Daniel Felsko's Still Life, and Johann Friedrich Franz von Schlichten's Sea Shells. At the exhibition, we will also see works of Biruta Delle, Janis Gunars Kalnmalis, Zenta Logina, Miervaldis Kemers, Edgars Bauze, and others.

Free museum, it was quite interesting to visit. Many authentic appliances and buildings.

We spent around 15 minutes there, kids would really enjoy interactive steel drums there.

If you don't have any plans on what to do in Jūrmala, it could be a cool place to visit in the way to the sea (which is around 700 meters away through the path in a beautiful forest).

Great open-air museum, worth going such a long way from Riga. Exhibition is free for all visitors and has some very interesting artifacts such as boats, deep water wrecks, anchors and all fishing related stuff.

If you come from Riga, the best way is to take train to Majori, have a stroll on the beach, then take a bus (3,4,5 or 7) from the main road to Bulluciems and switch for bus no. 1 to the end. Then walk approx. 10-15 minutes. On the way back, take bus 1 to Lulliepa Stacija and train back to Riga.

Free to access and a good insightful museum in a nice forest back drop. Train + bus to the area is around €3. Free toilets on site and a coffee vending machine with card payment available. Went for a walk along the beach after via the board walk.

Cute little museum. The entrance is free. Guided tour is 8 euro per person.
You will find also English explanations.

What a nice surprise it was! We visited Jūrmala's big dune and to our surprise we came across the Open air museum with an old buildings, and intetesting activities for families and children. There were craftsmens of old yrades, food from local producer's, treats...
Recomend to visit. Nice, little museum.

Almost never closed. Small, but rather nice place to see some bits of Riga Gulf fisherman life in the historical past.

Awesome place! You can see how fisherman were living, what tools they used. Especially if you go there on Thursday, as you can see how fish are smoked, taste it, buy different varieties of smoked fish.

Very interesting museum in pine forest. It’s free and hardly anyone even on weekends. After the tour, walk through the forest to 36. Line restaurant by the beach. You could get to this part of Jūrmala by Taxify from Riga or somewhere in Jūrmala, affordable.

Great open air museum, lots of interesting exhibits of fishery from different centuries

Free to visit, interesting museum of well restored fisherman’s lifestyle

Very small compared to the national museum of latvia. Worth visiting only if you are in jurmala. Don’t go out of your way to visit.

Nice and compact open-air museum. 2 historic fishermen houses,a few other buildings and very enjoyable surroundings, it does not get too boring for children. Ridiculously cheap entry.

Nice, small and informative museum. Location is cool, as you can merge visit to museum with walk along forest trail of Ragakāpa and beachside

Wonderful place! Must see in Jurmala! Hope to come back here again in the spring!

Very interesting historical place suitable for family and group visits. A lot of interesting historical objects. There is a place for picnic with fire place with a stage for interteinment.

This small but nice and clean open air museum gives you a clear insight in the lives of local fishermen.
No entrance fee !
Picknick tables available

For years Jūrmala is known not only for its healing resources, but also for ancient fishermen villages on the shore of the Gulf of Riga. The principal occupation of the ancient inhabitants of Jūrmala was river and sea fishing.

Nice place for families with kids. The park is nice with many small buildings. We have been there in winter only but summer would be wonderful. Our son liked the place and the ship.

Great place to learn about Latvian fishing village life. Make sure you call ahead and request a masterclass on marine knots! You can also organise a picnic here, the museum provides a firepit etc.