Animals in Riga: to Cherish and Exploit?

In Riga, as in other cities, we see animals every day: as pets – dogs, cats, hamsters, or as wild animals that have adapted to the urban environment – birds, rodents, insects, etc.  Some of them we cherish and love, others we tolerate, still others we consider harmful or even dangerous and try to eradicate.

However, animals occupy a much larger place in our daily lives than we see or realize. We still use animals to produce food, clothing, footwear, household and luxury items. Even in the age of modern technologies, animals help as a professional workforce – guards, sleuths or companions. Animals are still used in the entertainment and recreation industry, research, training of future doctors, etc.

Our understanding and attitude towards animals determine our own daily life and that of the animals. Over time, animals have evolved from useful livestock and domestic animals to objects of welfare and cherished pets. Nowadays, wild animals in the urban environment are also mostly perceived with understanding: we like to observe them and accept them as part of a common, protected ecosystem.

The creative team of the exhibition offer visitors to become time detectives and look for the roots of modern ideas and attitudes towards animals in the history of the city of Riga in an unconventional perspective – in reverse chronological order, moving from the present day to the beginnings of the city.

The team of creators of the exhibition “Animals in Riga: to Cherish and Exploit?:
Rasa Pārpuce-Blauma, exhibition curator and co-author, historian of the History Department of the Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation;
Margarita Barzdeviča, co-author, head of the Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation;
Zita Pētersone, co-author, historian of the History Department of the Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation;
Ilona Celmiņa, co-author, deputy director of the Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation;
Reinis Suhanovs, author of the exhibition design;
Ivars Veikša, author of the exhibition’s introduction film;
SIA “Latvijas Galdniecība”, production and installation of exhibition elements.

The exhibition is financially supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia

The exhibition is supported with its production by: publishing house “Zvaigzne ABC”, publishing house “Latvijas Mediji”, SIA “Ausma Media”, SIA “Troja”, SIA “Reaton”