ABOUT THE MUSEUM
The museum is dedicated to the philosopher and poet Robert Mukes (Aven) (1923-2006). After the passing of Robert Mukes, a generous donation was made by his widow Elsa Aven to Galeni Primary School with a bequest to establish a museum for the philosopher and poet Robert Mukes in Galeni. The donation was initially displayed in the small hall of the Galeni House of Culture. Later, in 2007, the Robert Monk Memorial Room was opened in Galeni, Skolas iela 11c. Since 2014, however, the Robert Monk Museum in Galeni, Skolas iela 11C, has been operating as an accredited museum.
The museum’s exhibition has been designed in an attempt to bring it closer to what it looked like in the philosopher’s last home in Riga.
The Robert Monk Museum in Galeni regularly organises art, craft and thematic exhibitions.
The museum offers:
- Robert Monk’s personal library;
- the philosopher’s published works and manuscript collection;
- the philosopher’s collections of pipes, photographs, memorabilia;
- awards given to the philosopher;
- an exhibition about the exiled Latvian literary and artistic group “Elles ķēķis”, of which Robert Monk was an active member.
The museum is free of charge.
In Galeni, you can visit:
- Robert Mukes’ grave with a tombstone by sculptor Mara Kalnina, where a three-dimensional cross carved in stone symbolises the great thinker’s divided life: in his homeland – in exile, in gains – in losses, in faith – in hopelessness;
- the philosopher’s birth house, where R.
- The Philosophy Trail in Galeni Park – the trail is lined with sculptures – symbols of R. Monk’s poetry (be sure to ask a museum staff member for a free guide beforehand).
THE MAN– THE EGG
He was tired of looking for other dimensions of being, tired of asking: why, from where to where… He shrank into a kind of spongy egg on the ocean shore, to roll with the wind, at the whim of the waves, to make visible the link between peace and movement.So there he stayed – with the other pebbles, Half alive, half lifeless, back in his element – unquestioning faith in the sure step of nothingness. /Robert Monk/
Photo from the museum archives.