Restoration of the Harbor Warehouse

The Ethnographic Open-Air Museum of Latvia made a convent for an EEA Financial Mechanism Norwegian Financial Mechanism project implementation.

01.02.2014.

December 2013 The Ethnographic Open-Air Museum of Latvia made an agreement with the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia about the pre-project Nr.EEZLV04 / INP / 2013/4 „Ostas noliktavas restaurācija Latvijas Etnogrāfiskajā brīvdabas muzejā” (Restoration of the Harbor Warehouse in The Ethnographic Open-Air Museum of Latvia) project implementation within the EEA Financial Mechanism Norwegian Financial Mechanism program “Conservation and Revitalization of Cultural and Natural heritage”.

The total of eligible costs is 200 000EUR, that includes 170 000 EUR of EEA Financial Mechanism co-financing and 30 000 of State budged co-financing.

The aim of this project is to preserve one of the oldest exhibit-building in The Ethnographic Open-Air Museum of Latvia – “Harbor Warehouse” and make it accessible to wide audience. Project activities include: (1) Port Warehouse building’s restoration and conservation, (2) readjust Port Warehouse to exhibit needs, (3) to realize professional experience-sharing conference (including experts from Norway and other neighboring countries) and project management (4) publicity.

Project results: not less than 105 000 visitors per year will be provided with availability of one of the Cultural heritage object which has never been displayed before. Objects adjacent are of at least 150m2 will be improved with its exposure conditions. Buildings first floor will be open for every visitor as open repository. Within this project there will be organized one experience sharing conference dedicated to wooden architectural heritage.

A number of warehouses was built on the canal banks of Liepāja port at the end of the 17th century. The warehouse "Bezdelīga" was transferred to the museum. Blocks for load descent/ascent were equipped in the openings of roof windows. The first floor served for grain storage, the second — for a variety of piece-goods. The extentions (weight room and office) were built in the 60-s of the 19th century.