On 17 September, the Cabinet of Ministers reviewed and approved the Price List of Public Paid Services of the Specially Protected Cultural Monument – Turaida Museum Reserve (TMR) and the Ministry of Culture (MoC).* It updates the range of services and prices provided by the museum, adding new services to the price list and deleting outdated ones. The updated price list will enter into force on 19 September 2024.
The prices of the Museum’s public chargeable services have not changed substantially since 2013, but over time the costs of visitor services and infrastructure improvements, the direct and indirect costs of the services that make up the prices of the Museum’s public chargeable services have increased and the range of services provided by the Museum has changed, making it necessary to update the price list.
The Museum has a total area of 57,82 ha and 38 buildings – state-protected cultural monuments, as well as a diverse natural and scenic heritage: park-like landscape, natural grasslands, forest area, 26 estate ponds and greenery, etc. The museum restores the state-protected cultural monuments and infrastructure, restoring and conserving these buildings, maintaining the cultural environment in all its diversity.
In view of the interest of visitors, the TMR’s offer is regularly improved. Over the last 10 years, 8 new exhibitions have been created, including a large-scale exhibition in the House of the Corvée-peasant, dedicated to the establishment of Latvian statehood, “On the Way to the State of Latvia. Corvée-peasant. Independent. Farmer.Citizen”. Existing exhibitions have been improved and modernised, the park-like landscape and the 4 ha cascade of historical ponds in Turaida Forest Park have been restored, walking paths with resting benches have been created, and new interactive information stands and a mobile audio guide in 6 languages have been installed for exploring the Museum Reserve. As the range of services offered by the museum increases, so do the resources needed to provide them.
The information on entrance ticket prices in museums of similar size and offer in Latvia and Europe shows that TMR ticket prices are lower or equivalent. The Museum will maintain its current policy of free admission, including free admission for persons with disabilities. TMR will also continue to offer discounts on individual visits to persons from large families and families with a disabled child or a person under the age of 24 who has been diagnosed as having a disability group I or II, with a 50% discount on visits to the museum’s exhibitions and displays.
Turaida museum reserve entrance fees:
| Summer season (01.05.-31.10.) / EUR | Winter season (01.11.-30.04.) /EUR | |
| Adults | 8.00 | 6.00 |
| Pensioners | 6.00 | 4.00 |
| Pupils | 2.00 | 1.50 |
| Full time students (producing student card) | 4.00 | 3.00 |
| Persons with 3rd disability group | 2.00 | 1.50 |
| Family (2 adults and 2 or more children age up to 18 | 17.00 | 12.50 |
| Family (1 adult and 2 or more children age up to 18 g) | 9.00 | 6.50 |
| Open-air exhibitions visiting time 9:00-10:00 -18:00-20:00) | 3.00 EUR | |
Entry into force of the changes
The changes made in the price list of the Museum Reserve will enter into force in the general procedure – on the day following the publication in the official publication “Latvijas Vēstnesis” – on 19 September 2024.
In updating the price list, the prices of TMR services have been aligned with the current actual costs related to the provision of the service, taking into account the significant price increases observed in recent years for electricity, fuel, other goods and services, as well as the increase in the amount of remuneration. For example, according to the Inflation Calculator of the Central Statistical Office, the total change in consumer prices in April this year compared to April 2018 shows an increase of 38.3%. However, the change in consumer prices for electricity, gas and other fuels increased by 66.4%.
In order to further promote the preservation, promotion and accessibility of the cultural heritage of the historical centre of Turaida, the prices of TMR’s paid services have been revised in line with the museum’s actual expenses invested in the creation of new exhibitions, introduction of technologies, maintenance and development of the museum, visitor services, accessibility of exhibitions and cultural environment and educational work.
As a unique cultural monument of European importance, the Museum Reserve is one of the most popular international cultural tourism destinations, visited annually by tourists from Latvia and various countries of the world. This is reflected in the awards received in 2022 – the European Heritage Label for the preservation and promotion of the cultural heritage of the Turaida Historical Centre and the European Cultural Tourism Network (ECTN) Board Special Recognition Award for the inclusion of the Turaida Historical Centre in the European Heritage List.
*”Amendments to the Cabinet of Ministers Regulation of 1 October 2013 No 1029 “Price list of public paid services of the specially protected cultural monument – Turaida Museum Reserve”