The Džūkste Fairy Tale Museum is located in the historic Lancenieki School, where the renowned Latvian folklorist, teacher, and collector of fairy tales, Anss Lerhis-Puškaitis, once worked. At the museum, visitors can learn about his life and contributions to Latvian culture, participate in educational activities, act out fairy tales with hand puppets, and explore the surrounding area in the outdoor exhibition.
🏛️ About the museum
The Džūkste Fairy Tale Museum is known as the Lancenieki School, where Anss Lerhis-Puškaitis (1859–1903) once worked, a prominent public figure, teacher, researcher, horticulturist, and writer of the second half of the 19th century, who is best known as a folklorist. Inspired by the ideas of the Young Latvians, he sought to do something meaningful for his people, thereby leaving a rich intangible cultural heritage for future generations.
On the first floor, visitors can view the “Anss Lerhis-Puškaitis” exhibition, which highlights the contributions of the distinguished folklorist Anss Lerhis-Puškaitis (1859–1903) to education, writing, horticulture, and public service.
An educational display wall set up in the historic classroom reveals a wealth of information. Its motto comes from the words of the distinguished folklorist A. Lerha-Puškaitis himself: “A fairy tale is like a nut—crack it open, and you’ll find the kernel!” It highlights his insights and contributions to establishing the genre of the Latvian literary fairy tale and preserving intangible cultural heritage.
🎓 Educational Programs
During the lesson, pupils, together with a museum staff member who plays the role of Luīze—the wife of Ansis Lerhs-Puškaitis (1859–1903), a teacher at the Lancenieki School and folklorist— experience the daily life of a rural school and bake water pretzels according to a local recipe.
While the pretzels are baking, visitors have the opportunity to learn about the 19th-century rural teacher Ansis Lerha-Puškaiš and the role his wife, Luīze, played in his life and at the school, as well as to compare 19th-century and modern school life, the traditions practiced by Luīze, and those of your own family.
The event concludes with a tasting of homemade water pretzels, dried apple tea, and a storytelling session featuring hand puppets.
Age groups: For pupils in grades 1–4, 5–9, and 10–12.
Latvian School Bag: Yes.
During the session, museum staff, dressed as various fairy-tale characters, tell and act out animal tales recorded by folklorist Ans Lerha-Puškaitis (1859–1903), tell riddles, and play games typical of the early 20th century.
At the same time, it is an engaging story about the Džūkste Fairy Tale Museum, folklorist Ansis Lerha-Puškaitis, and his contribution to the collection of Latvian folk folklore—fairy tales and legends.
Age group: For pupils in grades 1–4 and 5–9.
Latvian School Bag: Yes.
Also available as an off-site lesson.
The program is based on the fairy tales “Sprīdītis” and “Lielēdējs,” as recorded by Ansis Lerhs-Puškaitis.
The program’s objectives are to promote listening, viewing, reading, and information-searching skills within the museum’s exhibition; to deepen understanding of historical events and their portrayal, as well as of the nation’s intangible cultural heritage—stories, legends, and fairy tales; and to teach critical thinking and the ability to distinguish myths from reality.
Age group: For pupils in grades 5–9.
An opportunity designed to foster imagination and critical thinking—not only to visit the Jūkstes Fairy Tale Museum, listen to fairy tales, and solve riddles, but also for everyone—both young and old—to become the directors or actors of their own performances by staging a puppet show with hand puppets.
To stage a performance, you can use the fairy tales written and compiled by Ansis Lerhs-Puškaitis, which are organized by role, or you can create your own fairy tale.
🌳 Outdoor Activities
🧭 Orienteering in the outdoor exhibition “In the Footsteps of the Father of Fairy Tales”
The outdoor exhibition “In the Footsteps of the Father of Fairy Tales” can be explored through an orientation game featuring several checkpoints that reveal the oral folklore about nature passed down by teacher and folklorist Ansis Lerhs-Puškaitis. This activity fosters children’s imagination and critical thinking while helping to instill a system of Latvian values.
🎟️ Prices
Admission fee
- Forpupils – 1.00 EUR
- Adults – 1.50 EUR
- Preschool-aged children and accompanying teachers (up to 2 people) – free
- Students from special schools, boarding schools, and children’s homes in the Tukums region (upon presentation of a student ID or certificate) – free
Museum Tours
Guided tour for up to 20 people (1 hour):
- In Latvian – 20.00 EUR
- In a foreign language – 22.00 EUR
Themed tour for up to 20 people (1 hour):
- In Latvian – 24.00 EUR