ABOUT TURAIDA MUSEUM RESERVAT
The only museum reserve in Latvia established to preserve, maintain and tell the story of the historical centre of Turaida for a thousand years. The Turaida Museum Reserve houses well-known sites in Latvia – the medieval stone castle of Turaida, the Dainu Hill, as well as a memorial to Turaida Rose, a girl whose life story is entwined in a romantic legend. The Turaida Museum Reserve also tells about the heritage left by the Gauja Livs, as well as preserves, maintains and exhibits the buildings of the Turaida Manor’s economic centre.
The latest exhibition “On the Way to the State of Latvia. A vagabond. Landlord. Citizen” is dedicated to the history of the creation of the Latvian state – one hundred years before the establishment of the Latvian state.
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES
Latvian is my national language
The educational programme is designed for grades 4 – 9 and adapted accordingly for grades 4 – 6.
It is designed to promote pupils’ interest in the Latvian language and encourage understanding of the importance of the Latvian language in the existence of the state and culture, in the processes of establishing a nation state, in the creation and existence of the nation, through the exhibition “On the Way to the Latvian State. A Classmate. Landlord. Citizen.”
During the programme, young people study the Indo-European language tree in the exhibition, read a poem that was written in old print on the Swiss house in Turaida in 1828, find out how important one person’s contribution to the whole nation can be by learning about Ati Kronvalds, find out if they can recognise well-known objects by their names used in the past, and exercise their sharpness of thought by making riddles about the images used in the exhibition.
- Price per group: 35.00 EUR + museum entrance tickets
- Duration of the programme: 1.5 h
- Number of people: up to 30 persons
- Duration: 1 May – 15 November
- Language: Latvian
The programme has been prepared with the financial support of the State Culture Capital within the project “Creating content for the “Latvian School Bag” in museums”.
The educational programme is intended for pupils in grades 1-4, as well as for children in the preparatory group of pre-school educational institutions.
It is designed according to the age-appropriate perception and learning abilities of the pupils and includes creative tasks, narration and individual work, so that the pupils can acquire a wide range of knowledge in one lesson. To promote pupils’ understanding of peasant life in the clan times in the first half of the 19th century, various methods are used, including puppet theatre, practical work – making a work tool – a rake, recitatives and others that activate different senses. The educational programme “What is a vagrant?” complements the primary school curriculum and raises awareness that the museum is an interesting place to come back to.
- Price per group : 35.00 EUR + museum entrance tickets
- Duration of the programme: 1.5 h
- Number of people: up to 30 persons
- Duration: 1 May – 15 November
- Language: Latvian
The programme has been prepared with the financial support of the State Culture Capital within the project “Creating content for the “Latvian School Bag” in museums”.
The programme is suitable for pupils in grades 4-12 and groups of friends of different ages.
During the programme, pupils have the opportunity to learn about Latvian history in the 14th-16th centuries in a relaxed, attractive way, playing a role-play game inTuraida Castle and experiencing the aroma of history through the smell of wax and the charm of old things. The participants of the programme will dress up in medieval clothes, take on the roles of knights or peasants, learn about the division of the population into orders and the functions of the office of fogt. At a special ceremony, the knights will present the fogts with gifts prepared by the programme organisers, while the peasants will pay their dues. During the visit, participants will learn medieval manners and writing skills under the guidance of the Fogts of Turaida and a scribe. The story of the Middle Ages in Turaida will be complemented by medieval music and fireplace light, as well as a guided tour of the Turaida Castle exhibitions.
- Price per group: 35.00 EUR + entrance tickets
- Programme duration: 1.5 – 2 h
- Number of people: up to 30 persons
- Duration: all year round
- Language: Latvian, Russian, English
Orientation game “The Story of the Millennium“
The programme is suitable for pupils from 4th to 12th grades.
The orientation game is designed as an active and exciting visit to the Museum Reserve. The aim of the game is to find the objects and individual objects in the Turaida Museum Reserve indicated on the map. The game is a way to get to know the history of Latvia and have fun in the museum at the same time! The game has several difficulty levels, designed to make exploring the Museum Reserve fun for students of all ages. The programme promotes teamwork skills, self-management and organisation, the ability to navigate in space and, if necessary, to use a map.
- Price per group: 35.00 EUR + entrance tickets
- Duration of the programme: 1.5 h
- Number of people: up to 35 persons
- Time: May – October
- Language: Latvian, Russian and English
What will the Livonian horse decide?
The programme is suitable for pupils in grades 1 – 7.
The Constitution of the Republic of Latvia reads: “Latvia’s identity in the European cultural space has been shaped since ancient times by Latvian and Liv traditions, the Latvian way of life, the Latvian language, universal human and Christian values.” Turaida has always been a Liv land. The Livs (also Livs) are a people belonging to the Finno-Ugric culture and language family, who began to inhabit the lands of the lower Gauja in the 11th century. The Turaida Museum Reserve continues to introduce the inhabitants and guests of the municipality to the Livs of the Gauja by promoting the rich heritage of the historical centre of Turaida. Educational programme “What will the Livs’ horse of fate decide?” encourages the discovery of the ancient history, culture and language of Latvia’s indigenous people, the Livs. Participants will be introduced to the exhibition “Gauja Livs in Latvian Cultural History”, focusing on Finno-Ugric mythology and life in Turaida in the 12th century. During the visit to the exhibition, each participant will be given a task, the completion of which will provide access to the classroom – the world of ancient Livs. Participants will take part in an impromptu folk meeting, taking on the characters of the Livs of Turaida. The historical game is based on the events described in the Chronicle of Indricus in 1191 in Turaida, where the will of the gods is determined at a meeting of the Liv people with the help of a horse – the fate of the monk, missionary Theoderich is decided.
- Price per group : 35.00 EUR + museum entrance tickets
- Duration of the programme: 1.5 h
- Number of people: up to 30 persons
- Duration: all year round
- Language: Latvian
Surname Giving in Vidzeme
The programme is suitable for pupils of grades 4-12.
An important event in Latvian history is the abolition of serfdom, which took place in Vidzeme in 1819 and was determined by laws issued to the Vidzeme peasants. As a result of this process of liberation, surnames were given to the peasants of Vidzeme between 1817 and 1833. The law allows the choice of any surname, but later clarifies that it is forbidden to choose surnames that are out of order and inappropriate, especially those of nobles, well-known families or famous people.During the programme, participants learn about surnames in Latvia, the origins of Latvian names and surnames, especially in Vidzeme at the beginning of the 19th century. They learn why surnames sometimes reflect a person’s character or physical qualities. Find out what interesting things can be learnt about a group from their surnames by creating a group surname tree. The programme also includes a role-play about how the farmer got his surname.
- Price per group: 35.00 EUR + entrance tickets
- Programme duration: 1.5 h
- Number of people: up to 30 persons
- Duration: all year round
- Language: Latvian
Enter the
world of folk songs!
The programme is suitable for pupils in grades 1-6.
The Mountain of Songs is designed to celebrate Latvian folk songs, to convey the values of the people encoded in the songs, to strengthen national identity. The Dainu Hill is one of the symbols of the Awakening. During the programme, pupils get acquainted with the Folk Song Park and the Dainu Hill, with 26 sculptures created by sculptor Indulis Ranka. Listening to a story about folk life and values, they take part in various activities, sing and recite folk songs, guess riddles, play games and perform various unusual tasks. The programme takes place outdoors on Dainu Hill.
- Price per group: 35.00 EUR + entrance tickets
- Programme duration: up to 1.5 h
- Number of people: up to 30 persons
- Time: May – October
- Language: Latvian
What is Turaida Castle made of?
The programme is suitable for pupils from 1st to 6th grades.
During the lesson pupils learn about the production of clay building materials in the Middle Ages, get acquainted with the Turaida stone castle and study the bricks used in its construction, visit the site of the Turaida brick kiln and make a brick themselves. The programme involves practical work, both measuring the size of ancient bricks and comparing them, identifying the oldest and newest ones. Mixing clay, shaping it into wooden moulds and making bricks.
- Price per group: 35.00 EUR + entrance tickets
- Duration of the programme: 1.5 h
- Number of people: up to 30 persons
- Time: May – September
- Language: Latvian, Russian
Christmas at Turaida Manor
The programme is suitable for pupils from 1st to 6th grades.
During the Christmas waiting, thoughts of light in oneself, good deeds and the desire to make others happy take over. Traditionally, the Christmas season involves a number of activities – preparing for the festivities, decorating rooms, preparing gifts, celebrating the festive season – taking part in a masked procession, guessing riddles, playing games, divining the future and sharing a feast together.The programme is designed as a creative workshop, during which each participant gets to know the process of the festivities – they make their own heartfelt gift to leave under the tree on Christmas Eve as a surprise for mum, dad, grandma or another loved one, guess riddles, play games and divine the successes and events of the coming year.By prior arrangement with the Turaida blacksmith, participants have the opportunity to cast their fortune in the forge and, looking into the shadows, glimpse the future. The smell of the Christmas tree, the candle flames and a treat of delicious gingerbread and scented tea will create a festive feeling.
- Price per group: 35.00 EUR + entrance tickets
- Programme duration: 1.5 h
- Number of people: up to 30 persons
- Duration: 1 December – 10 January
- Language: latvian
ADDITIONAL OFFER
- Fortune casting at the blacksmith – separate fee, to be arranged in advance with Turaida blacksmith Andris Ščeglovs, mob. 29490869.
- Arrangements can be made for school certificates and Christmas sweet packets to be given out during the programme.
TOURS AT TURAIDA MUSEUM RESERVE
The story of the historic centre of Turaida, whose heritage is preserved by the Turaida Museum Reserve, can be explored with a museum guide. The expositions of the Turaida Museum Reserve as a whole, both in space and in environment, tell about a thousand-year period of time, which also reflects events in the history of Latvia. Types of excursions:
- Overview excursion. A general overview of the Museum Reserve’s expositions, which includes a guided tour of Dainu Hill, Turaida Castle, the legend of Turaida Rose, one of the oldest wooden churches in Latvia and the Gauja Liv heritage in Turaida.
- Price per group: 20.00 EUR + entrance tickets
- Duration of the excursion: 1.5 h
- Number of people: up to 30 persons
- Duration: all year round
- Language: Latvian, Russian
- Thematic excursions – Turaida Stone Castle; Dainu Hill and Folk Song Park; Gauja Livs in Latvian cultural history; Turaida Church Hill; Turaida Manor – provide one of the above mentioned topics.
- Price per group: 10.00 EUR + entrance tickets
- Duration of excursion: 45 min
- Number of people: up to 30 persons
- Duration: all year round
- Language: Latvian, Russian
- Excursion to the exhibition “On the Way to the State of Latvia. The Clown. The Landlord. Citizen ” – the story of one hundred years before the establishment of the Latvian State. The growth of the Latvian peasant, the Latvian people, from a vagabond (from a semi-free man) to the owner of his own farm and finally a free citizen of his own independent state. The message of the exhibition helps to create an understanding of the rapid, changing and challenging path that was taken in the 19th century, and which has enabled today’s generation to live in an independent Republic of Latvia.
- Price per group: 10.00 EUR + entrance tickets
- Duration of the tour: 45 min – 1 h
- Number of people: up to 30 persons
- Duration: 1 May – 18 November
- Language: Latvian
ADDITIONAL OFFER
Board game “Become a fogt in Turaida!”
The Turaida Museum Reserve offers the board game “Become a Fogt in Turaida!”, which you can play in class or with friends to start a story about history, about power and responsibility, about choice, luck and courage. Suitable for different age groups. The game’s message is the story of a simple warlord who, by performing various tasks and making decisions, gradually improves his social status and, by gaining recognition, at the end of the game becomes a fogt – a high-ranking official in the hierarchy of medieval society.
The game can be purchased at the Visitor Centre of the Museum Reserve. Price: 9.50 EUR.
We recommend books that can be used for additional study of history and literature, as well as for discussing experiences after a visit to the Museum Reserve. Suitable for primary and secondary school:
- “The Manor from the point of view of the parish scribe”. A selection of works by the writer, Turaida parish scribe Pērsietis (Kārlis Zemītis) with commentary. The book gives an insight into the events in a manor in the second half of the 19th century. It depicts well the ordinary people, their experiences, emotions, reflects the life of the parish and manor, the environment and society of the time.
The book can be purchased at the Visitor Centre of the Museum Reserve. Price – 5.00 EUR.
- “Turaida in 13th-16th century documents”. The publication collects documents published in Turaida Castle.
The documents written and preserved to our days or their publications allow us to see the history of our land and to get to know in the written texts the thinking that shaped the reality that can be seen in the cultural space of Latvia even today.
The book can be purchased at the Visitor Centre of the Museum Reserve. Price – 30.00 EUR.
- For primary school we offer the book “Turaida Castle David’s Book of Stories and Games”.
Although the target audience of the book is 3-7 year olds, it can serve as a good start for primary school pupils to learn about history. The protagonist of the book is David, whose prototype can be found drawn on a brick found in Turaida Castle. David introduces readers to the history of the castle, its construction, the bricks, as well as to the rulers and other inhabitants of the castle, and tells stories about the history of Turaida Castle. Each of David’s stories is accompanied by exercises that encourage children to work, develop skills in writing, arithmetic, attention, etc. In addition to the book, a sticker sheet is also included. The book is richly illustrated with drawings by artist Una Leitāne.
IMPORTANT
Programme bookings and excursion applications should be made at least 3 days before the visit by e-mail: info@turaida-muzejs.lv or by phone +371 67971402 or +371 29384512.
Photos from the Turaida Museum Reserve archive.