Riga Motor MuseumAbout Riga Motor Museum
The Riga Motor Museum is an automotive museum in Riga, Latvia, established in 1989. It documents motoring history in Latvia and the wider region.
The museum displays a large collection of historic cars and motorcycles, with an emphasis on 20th century and Soviet-era vehicles. Exhibits include period passenger cars, commercial vehicles and racing machines together with explanatory displays on technology and road culture.
The museum opened in 1989 during the late Soviet period and was substantially reworked and reopened in a renovated building in 2016. Its collection grew from private and state collections assembled during the 20th century.
Situated in Riga within the city limits, the museum sits on the northern side of the central city area and is accessible by road from the Old Town and surrounding districts.
- Renovation: The museum was originally established in 1989 and underwent a major renovation and reopening in 2016.
Nearby Attractions to Riga Motor Museum
Best Time to Visit Riga Motor Museum
Indoor museum - best visited any time the weather is poor or to escape Riga's summer crowds.
Weather & Climate near Riga Motor Museum
Riga Motor Museum's climate is classified as Warm-Summer Continental - Warm-Summer Continental climate with mild summers (peaking in July) and freezing winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from -7°C to 22°C. Moderate rainfall (648 mm/year).
| Month | Comfort | Temp | Feels | Rain | Sky | Humidity | Wind | UV | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Poor | -6° - -2° | -9° | 37 mm | overcast | 96% | 4.3 m/s | 0.0 low | 7.4h |
| February | Poor | -7° - -1° | -9° | 28 mm | overcast | 95% | 3.8 m/s | 0.1 low | 9.3h |
| March | Poor | -3° - 3° | -4° | 32 mm | overcast | 91% | 3.6 m/s | 0.3 low | 11.7h |
| April | Good | 1° - 10° | 3° | 41 mm | partly cloudy | 83% | 3.6 m/s | 0.7 moderate | 14.0h |
| May | Very Good | 7° - 16° | 12° | 47 mm | partly cloudy | 79% | 3.5 m/s | 1.1 high | 16.2h |
| June | Very Good | 11° - 20° | 15° | 60 mm | partly cloudy | 79% | 3.2 m/s | 1.4 high | 17.3h |
| July | Good | 13° - 22° | 17° | 79 mm | partly cloudy | 81% | 3.0 m/s | 1.4 high | 16.8h |
| August | Good | 12° - 21° | 17° | 75 mm | partly cloudy | 81% | 2.9 m/s | 1.0 high | 14.9h |
| September | Good | 8° - 16° | 12° | 75 mm | partly cloudy | 84% | 3.4 m/s | 0.6 moderate | 12.6h |
| October | Acceptable | 4° - 10° | 4° | 66 mm | overcast | 89% | 3.9 m/s | 0.2 low | 10.2h |
| November | Poor | 0° - 4° | -3° | 59 mm | overcast | 94% | 4.2 m/s | 0.0 low | 8.0h |
| December | Poor | -4° - 0° | -7° | 49 mm | overcast | 95% | 4.0 m/s | 0.0 low | 6.7h |
How to Get to Riga Motor Museum
The museum is north of Riga’s historical centre; local buses and taxis serve the area. From central Riga allow 20-30 minutes by car or check local transit options (city bus routes and schedules) for the nearest stop.
Tips for Visiting Riga Motor Museum
- Allocate at least 90 minutes: the museum mixes early cars, luxury coachwork and Soviet-era curiosities, and it rewards slow browsing.
- Don't skip the upstairs exhibit on engineering - it features engines and period technology that explain why some cars were built the way they were.
- Look for local-language captions; many exhibits include English but the most colorful stories are sometimes only in Latvian.