This autumn, we invite students from all over Latvia to go on an adventure to Ventspils! Science Centre VIZIUM offers educational and attractive excursions, and the Planetarium and Observatory of the Ventspils Creativity House offers the opportunity to learn about the Universe. Feel the breath of history in Ventspils museums and explore them! For lovers of active recreation, there are the Adventure Park’s all-season “Toboggan Track”, “Cat Trail” and exciting entertainment in the Water Amusement Park. Enjoy the cultural life of the Concert Hall “Latvija” and the Theatre House “Jūras vārti”. And you can experience a sense of community at the Gāliņciems Community Centre.
SCIENCE CENTRE VIZIUM offers students a wide range of technology and creative workshops, as well as surprising and educational science shows. At Science Centre VIZIUM, young and old alike can play football, snowboard, experience the power of an earthquake, escape a virtual maze, ride a roller coaster and more! When you go on a field trip to VIZIUM, your class gets a 10% discount on the Exhibition Hall, and the teacher gets free admission! Find out how to book and prices HERE.
LIVONIAN ORDER CASTLE which operates as the Ventspils Museum, invites you to get acquainted with the oldest building in Ventspils and learn new knowledge in the Museum’s educational programmes:
- The Art Lesson at the Museum series invites pre–school, elementary and primary school pupils to learn about printmaking techniques. What is linocut, screen printing, lithography, etching and ink drawing? Discover the black and white treasures of the Ventspils Art Museum.
- The Nature&History series invites pre-school and primary school children to the Museum’s pedagogical lesson “When two lizards meet“.Here you will learn about the viviparous lizard (Zootoca vivipara) and the sand lizard (Lacerta agilis). You will look for differences in the appearance and lifestyle of the two lizards. You will imitate lizards in a creative activity.
- In the series “Bay Leaf and Deer Antler Salt“, the Livonian Order Castle invites primary and secondary school pupils and adult groups to take a journey through the history of cookery books. What is the heritage of Pastor Christoph Harder in the 18th century? Stumbling blocks in reading ancient print and the names of spices. Are you ready to create your own delicious recipe and contribute to the new cookbook of the Ventspils Museum? Take part in the competition “Ventiņrecipte 2023/2024”.
For applications: Ilva Buntika, [email protected], +371 29590093.
HOUSE OF CRAFTS is located in the restored oldest school building of the Duchy of Courland, built in the 18th century. The restored building offers visitors a classroom decorated in 19th-century style. By prior arrangement, it is possible to take part in a lesson in the 19th century tradition.
- The Museum’s education programme “I am a Friend of the Museum” is offered to pre-school and primary school pupils in the House of Crafts. Through games and puzzles, children get to know the Museum’s environment – the Ancient School Classroom, the craft workshops and the Exhibition Hall, the Museum’s staff and the specifics of the Museum. In order to become a Friend of the Museum, each participant will have to learn the rules of what can and cannot be done in the Museum by solving the tasks in groups. If the tasks are solved correctly, at the end of the class, everyone will receive a “Friend of the Museum” pin. The programme is part of the Latvian School Bag project.
For applications: Marta Tjarve, [email protected], +371 26385346.
SEASIDE OPEN AIR MUSEUM presents the everyday life of the inhabitants of the Kurzeme coast, reflecting the life of Latvian, Livonian farmers and fishermen. See buildings typical of farmsteads, including windmills from Užava Parish, smokehouses and net huts with exhibits typical of everyday life.
Until the end of October, the Seaside Open Air Museum offers the opportunity to take a ride on the narrow-gauge locomotive MAZBĀNĪTIS, which once connected the coastal villages of Kurzeme. Mazbānītis offers two railway lines: Circle Line – 1.4 km and Hill Line – 3.0 km.
In addition, you can visit the renovated FIRE CORRECTION TOWER OF VENTSPILS 46TH COASTALDEFENCE BATTERY on Saulrietu Street, which is the only tower of its kind in the Baltic States. Visitors can learn about its history and enjoy a wonderful view of the surrounding forests and the Baltic Sea from its viewing platform.
The Seaside Open Air Museum offers educational programmes:
- The Story of the Miserly Miller “In Money or Grain”. The lesson for primary school pupils explores the cultural heritage – the Ventspils Seaside Open Air Museum’s mill and the granary building. They develop an understanding of the role of adjectives in history, life, science and story. Create your own Story of the Miserly Miller and act out the story you create in improvisation theatre.
- The old address, the new one, get acquainted with the Seaside Open Air Museum’s map (site plan), find out where you can find the address of the Museum or your school. The lesson will give an insight into the history of addresses in Ventspils and help you understand how an address should be written on an envelope. Lesson format: work in teams (4-6 people). Each team has to find a specific object in the Museum; research the object, find information about the historical address in the description; compose the historical address of the object from the given words.
- Festival of Seasonal Customs: from Michaelmas to Martini We will make a yearly circle on Michaelmas Day, so that we can better remember what festivals Latvians celebrate. Playing games, guessing riddles, learning folk songs and beliefs, children will get to know Latvian traditions of everyday life and masquerading in autumn. Bring a loaf of rye bread and homemade masks.
- Through the Game “The Sailor’s Story – Lie or Truth” primary school pupils can get acquainted with the exhibits and interesting facts of the Seaside Open Air Museum. There will be a team game to find the answers to questions about the largest boat collection in the Baltics. Using the facts found, make up a story so that it is difficult to determine what is true and what is a sailor’s lie (about boats, fishermen, anchors, fish).
- The game helps to understand the differences between the concepts of fact, opinion and lie.
For applications: Inga Uhaņa, [email protected], tel. +371 29741319.
In the CONCERT HALL “LATVIJA” – everyone is offered the opportunity to take a guided tour of the building, getting to know both the rooms available to the audience on a daily basis and the backstage.
Contacts: tel. +371 25773303.
The Latvian School Bag programme also includes various events organised by the “Kurzeme Filharmonija”:
- On 28 September at 16.00, the National Theatre of Latvia will visit the Concert Hall “Latvija” with a performance for teenagers and their parents “Two Worlds”. The play offers a version of what happens when two worlds are juxtaposed – fictional characters and their authors, the book and the web, teenagers and parents. Can they coexist peacefully? Or is a clash of worlds inevitable?
- On 19 October at 13.00, Dirty Deal Teatro invites senior high school students to the play “Drama Queen” at the Theatre House “Jūras vārti”. “This is the story of how the war turned me into a drama queen. How do I survive refugees, fear, loneliness, failed love and the break-up of an eight-year relationship? The play is based on my memories of refugees, the story of how I found myself in Riga and the emotional twists and turns on the way there,” says Sofija Meļņikova, the playwright of the play and the main actress. The play is in Ukrainian and Russian with subtitles in Latvian and English.
Contacts: SIA “Kurzemes filharmonija”; tel.: +371 20310469; e-mail: [email protected].
The largest and most advanced digital PLANETARIUM in the Baltics welcomes groups of schoolchildren for interactive lessons and films, where they can learn about the secrets of the Universe.
Find out more: HERE
Contacts: tel. +371 636 22805 or e-mail: [email protected].
The OBSERVATORY*located on the roof of the Creativity House, is equipped with a high-quality telescope for daytime solar observations.
*The Observatory is open by appointment, weather permitting. The Observatory is not open to the public in the event of precipitation, wind gusts exceeding 45 km per hour, or 12 m per second, overcast or variable cloud cover. The staff of the Ventspils Planetarium and Observatory asks you to assess the weather conditions before visiting the Observatory.
Advance booking is recommended:
- tel. +37163622805
- at the Ventspils Creativity House Administrator
- e-mail: [email protected]
The WATER AMUSEMENT PARK offers students the chance to enjoy an artificial wave pool, waterslides, a mountain river and other attractions.
Book in advance by tel. +371 25636777.
The ICE HALL is a popular sports and leisure venue. The Ice Rink of the Hall is open to the public at certain times every day. Visitors can skate with their own skates or rent them. Public skating with hockey or disco lights is also available. Book in advance by tel. +371 63621998.
The ADVENTURE PARK invites you to visit the largest toboggan track in the Baltics and have fun in about 20 different attractions – bumper cars, bumper boats, chamber skating, cat trail, paintball, laser tag, etc.
Book in advance by tel. +371 28611333; Laser tag/ paintball tel. +371 20046255.
The GĀLIŅCIEMS SOCIAL CENTRE will welcome you in its new premises, where age-appropriate activities will be offered for school excursions:
- A tour of the Gāliņciems library with a Braille workshop and a library lesson. – (40-60min).
- It is possible to combine and additionally visit the Herbert Dorbe Memorial Museum. – (40min).
- Other thematic activities can be arranged separately with the librarians of Gāliņciems Library. – (40min-1h).
Cinema “KINO RIO” invites students to enjoy films in a comfortable cinema room.
Please book your class excursion groups in advance by tel. +371 28896677.
MINI ZOO BUKI invites you to see and feed different species and families of animals. The Mini Zoo is home to 302 animals – red deer, fallow deer, camels, alpacas, llamas, donkeys, ponies, goats, rams, sheep, ostriches, emus, etc.
Contacts: e-mail: [email protected], tel. +371 25120357.
The VENTSPILS TRAIN is a popular tourist transport for visitors to the city, where they can see the city’s most famous landmarks, historic buildings, magnificent parks and squares. The train operates on demand.
Contacts [email protected]; tel. +371 29262976.
In October you can take a ride on one of the city’s most popular tourist and leisure attractions EXCURSION BOAT “HERCOGS JĒKABS”. During the 45-minute ride you can see the Venta River estuary, the Old Town, the industrial area of the Freeport Authority of Ventspils and the Sea Gate. Seats on the boat – 150. Contacts: tel. + 371 26353344.
The CREATIVE BREAD LABORATORY “RAMALA” offers creative bread therapy classes for schoolchildren, including both fun educational elements and relaxing and therapeutic elements. The classes focus on team-building, getting to know your classmates in a different context and gaining positive emotions. Using non-formal education methods – teaching by doing, showing and telling about baking bread, the baker’s profession, learning about different flours, grains and other things related to bread.
Contacts: e-mail: [email protected],
tel. +371 26480162.
PASIEKSTE WINDMILL welcomes everyone who wants to try grinding grain with a hand-cranked mill. See the Pasiekste Windmill and feel the preserved machinery. Learn about the history of the Pasiekste Windmill and how it was restored. You can cook your own pizzas and waffles like a real chef, which you can enjoy in the cosy rooms of the Windmill.
Contacts: e-mail: [email protected] tel. +371 26091142. Find out more: HERE
At the CHILDREN’S TOWN children can enjoy more than 40 different types of play equipment, designed for children from toddler to teenager. On Sundays, the Children’s Town hosts attractive musical events for children at 11.00. Free admission.
The CHILDREN’S PARK “FANTĀZIJA” is located in Pārventa, where colourful attractions delight the city’s younger generation. On Sundays, the Children’s Park “Fantasy” hosts attractive musical events for children at 15.00. Free admission.
The SEASIDE PARK will surprise you with the largest collection of anchors in the Baltics, offer climbing and crawling on wooden footbridges, and delight you with new play equipment and an exercise area in the newly renovated Jungle Trail. It features a variety of attractions for children, challenging both agility and stamina for all ages. Free admission.
8 new play facilities with a complex group of obstacles and climbing net elements have been installed in the PĀRVENTA FOREST PARK, intended for different age groups of children from 3 years old. These new facilities will ensure the full physical, social and cognitive development of children. Free admission.
The OSTAS STREET PROMENADE offers a wonderful view of the Venta, the Sea Gate, the old port workshops, the impressive collection of buoys, the exhibited pilot boat “Rota” and a new environmental object with a historical testimony – the propeller “Human Power”, found 22 m deep in the sea.
See you soon in Ventspils!
