The Eduards Veidenbaums Memorial Museum “Kalāči” in Liepa municipality, Cesis region, is dedicated to exploring the life and work of Latvian poet Eduards Veidenbaums. The exhibition and related educational programmes invite visitors to delve into the dreams and aspirations of the first modernist of Latvian poetry, as well as the challenges he faced throughout his life, including troubled relationships with family and friends, fragile health, and idealistic ideas about democracy and equality.
A team of experts from various fields has come together to fully examine the different facets of Veidenbaums’ legacy, including:
Inga Surgunte, project manager and curator;
Andra Ķīse, museum director;
Marians Rižijs, literary scholar;
Dace Džeriņa, artist;
Andris Akmentiņš, writer;
Nils Konstantinovs, psychotherapist for teenagers and young people;
Laura Dzelzkalēja, natural process researcher;
Liene Ozoliņa, sociologist;
Baiba Roze, youth affairs specialist and museum educator.
Young people from Cēsis municipality have also been actively involved in the development of the exhibition content, bringing a fresh and youthful perspective to the museum’s offerings.
In 2022, the Eduards Veidenbaums Memorial Museum “Kalāči” underwent significant changes with the goal of becoming a place to explore one’s personal mental health and to learn how to build harmonious relationships with others. Alongside a thorough and up-to-date analysis of Eduard Veidenbaums’s poetry and views, the museum now provides more information than ever before about the state-protected monument – the Kalāči farmstead – and the Veidenbaums family who farmed it, as well as their work and relationships.
To help visitors get to know Eduard Veidenbaums and enrich their understanding of his works, the museum has created a series of interactive exhibitions related to word games and poetry. These exhibitions are designed to be both educational and entertaining, and provide a unique and engaging way for visitors to engage with the poet and his legacy.
Overall, the Eduards Veidenbaums Memorial Museum “Kalāči” offers a comprehensive and immersive experience that provides visitors with a deeper appreciation of the life and work of one of Latvia’s most important poets.