On the 22nd of April, 2019 the Riga Motormuseum marked it's 30-year anniversary.
At a ceremony held at Skopje, the results of the Micheletti Award and the DASA Award were announced. Riga Motor Museum was one of the finalists for the 2017 EMA Award.
Riga Motor Museum's unique exhibit - the Latvian made Krastin car from 1903, debutes in Bonhams London to Brighton veteran car run. Also wins the prize as the most elegant car in the event.
Riga Motor Museum was reopened after a large scale reconstruction on July 1st, 2016. Herewith the museum bacame the largest and most diverse vintage motor vehicle collection in the Baltics.
The design project envisages the creation of an entirely new innovative Riga Motor Museum exposition with interactive and multimedia solutions, highlighting the museum’s collections and unique exhibits.
Organically integrated in the museum’s exposition the multimedia solutions complement the overall narrative.
They allow the visitor to explore important topics in depth, engage creatively and gain visual enjoyment. Here are some examples – audio guide, augmented reality experience, video mapping show, workstations, visual projections, multimedia solutions, audio experience, hands-on exhibits and games.
While Riga Motor Museum is under reconstruction, the antique vehicle collections were brought and stored in a warehouse in Ramava. The temporary premises were open for public visits till the 30th of August, 2014. Here visitors could see not only the permanent exhibition, but also vehicles that previously were stored in the museum’s funds.
The renovation project of the Riga Motor Museum envisages an enlargement of its existing exhibition area, creation of a new, more comfortable and up-to-date entrance, organization of the visitors’ flows in a clear way; the renovation project will also assure the museums accessibility for all the visitors and design a space according to the expositions actual needs while preserving the museums historical character, functional plan and its structural configuration.
On April 15th, 2013 Riga Motor Museum’s doors were closed due to the forthcoming reconstruction and the creation of a modern exhibition space.
The renovation project of the Riga Motor Museum envisages an enlargement of its existing exhibition area, creation of a new, more comfortable and up-to-date entrance, organization of the visitors’ flows in a clear way; the renovation project will also assure the museums accessibility for all the visitors and design a space according to the expositions actual needs while preserving the museums historical character, functional plan and its structural configuration.
Beginning of July Riga Motor Museum opens its branch exhibition in the city of Bauska. Previously these premises were used as Riga Motor Museum’s fund storage. Now the Bauska branch is transformed in a new high-quality tourism attraction in Zemgale region. The museum displays a great variety of antique vehicles – classic passenger cars from the 1930s and post-war period, farm machinery from the 1920s till 1930s, a real threshing machine and tractors.
On the 10th of December, 2010 a new exhibition hall of 800 m2 was opened on the first floor of the museum. Until then the premises were hired out to a car service. The new exhibition hall showcased special purpose vehicles, trucks and military machinery from the II World War.
On the 1st of July, 2009 Riga Motor Museum is incorporated in the Road Traffic Safety Directorate. This was an important milestone for the development of Riga Motor Museum.
On the 6th of September, 1997 the legendary 1938 Auto Union V16 engineered by Ferdinand Porsche returns to Riga and is shown to public in the Bikernieki race track.
On the 25th of August, 1990 the Head of Volkswagen A.G Dr. Karl Horst Hahn visits Latvia. During his stay he also visit the recently opened Riga Motor Museum.
The opening ceremony of Riga Motor Museum takes place on the 22nd of April, 1989. The date chosen for the opening was rather symbolic – Lenin’s birthday and the day of spring cleaning when in 1976 the Auto Union was recovered from ZiL factory in Moscow. With the opening of the museum the Latvian cultural-educational institutions were enriched with then and now largest car museum in the Baltic States. In 1989, the new museum was visited by 75 000 people, in 1990 the number of visitors reached already 130 000.
On the 30th of December, 1988 the construction of the Riga Motor Museum’s building was finished upon sinning the Acceptance decree.
Laying of the Riga Motor Museum foundation stone took place on the 6th of July, 1986. The ceremony was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Transport, Head of Riga City Council and other prominent guests. A stainless steel capsule containing a message in Latvian and Russian was immured at the bottom of the entrance column of the museum.
The classic car exhibition Auto. Moto. Retro organized by the Antique Automobile Club of Latvia was held in Riga Bourse for 2 months. Basically the exhibition was a showcase of the future Motor Museum’s antique car collection. One of the highlights of the exhibition was the recently restored fire fighters truck – the Russo Balt. This vehicle is considered a milestone of the Latvian automotive history.
Recovered from Moscow’s ZiL factory just before the annual spring cleaning in Soviet Union, the legendary hill climb Auto Union race car was brought to Riga. Soon after the unique car became the centre of attention of many western car collectors. It turned out be the only remaining typ C/D Auto Union racing car in the world.
Three years after the foundation of the Antique Automobile Club, the first public event is being hosted by the club members – Riga antique vehicle rally. Participants gather in the Dome Square from where they head off to the Bikernieki race track. About 100 antique vehicles participate in the parade.
Also nowadays the Riga Retro antique vehicle event is held yearly and gathers thousands of spectators. Amongst the participants you can glance at truly unqiue specimen of the automobile history.
The Antique automobile club organized classic car exhibitions and rallies. They were very popular and well-attended – in the first years thousands, even tens of thousands came to see the classic cars. The Antique automobile club soon became popular in throughout the Soviet Union.
Club members searched all over Soviet Union to gather antique cars and motorcycles for their private and the club’s antique vehicle collection.
On the 25th of August, 1990 the Head of Volkswagen A.G Dr. Karl Horst Hahn visits Latvia. During his stay he also visit the recently opened Riga Motor Museum.
