The Saeima ¹ has adopted and
the President has proclaimed the following Law:

Law on Museums

Section 1. Terms Used in this Law

The following terms are used in this Law:

1) museum object - an object which after research and treatment has been recognised an object with cultural and historical significance and is in the museum collections;

2) museum-related object - an object which conforms to the requirements of a museum object according to the cultural and historical significance thereof, but which is not included in the museum collections;

3) museum collections - a historically developed, scientifically justified aggregate of museum objects consisting of core collections, auxiliary collections and exchange collections;

4) museum collection - an aggregate of museum objects which are bound by one characteristics or several characteristics and the historic, scientific or artistic value of which is an inseparable entirety;

5) [18 March 2021];

6) [18 March 2021];

7) [18 March 2021];

8) [18 March 2021];

9) [18 March 2021].

[18 March 2021]

Section 2. Purpose and Operation of this Law

(1) The purpose of this Law is to specify public relations in the field of museums in order to ensure the operation of museums and to promote the preservation of the cultural heritage of Latvia and the development possibilities of museums.

(2) This Law shall be applicable to public museums, as well as accredited private museums (hereinafter - museums).

Section 3. Competence of the Ministry of Culture in the Field of Museums

(1) The Ministry of Culture shall:

1) develop a national strategy and implement national policy in the field of museums;

2) co-ordinate international co-operation projects of State museums, as well as inform other museums regarding opportunities of international co-operation;

3) divide resources provided for in the State budget to the accredited museums for implementation of cultural and historical, fine art and other projects and programmes;

4) establish a Latvian Council of Museums and approve the by-law thereof;

5) [8 June 2017];

6) assess the conformity of a museum to the status of cultural institution of national significance;

7) grant, refuse, or cancel the status of a regional museum to a museum.

(2) The Minister for Culture, with the intermediation of the Ministry of Culture, shall implement the functional supervision in public museums.

[1 December 2009; 8 June 2017]

Section 4. State Authority of Museums

[1 December 2009]

Section 5. Latvian Council of Museums and Composition Thereof

(1) The Latvian Council of Museums (hereinafter - the Council of Museums) is a consultative institution established in order to promote the co-operation of institutions and taking of decisions on issues which are related to the national strategy in the field of museums, as well as to the operation of museums and the establishment and conservation of the National Museum Holdings (hereinafter - the National Holdings).

(2) The Council of Museums shall consist of 16 members: eight delegated representatives of accredited museums of the Riga planning region - employees of museums, four delegated representatives of accredited museums of the Kurzeme, Latgale, Vidzeme, and Zemgale planning region (one of each region) - employees of museums, one representative delegated by the Latvian Association of Local and Regional Governments, one representative delegated by non-governmental organisations related to the professional activities of museums of Latvia, one representative delegated by the manager of the information system of the joint catalogue of the National Museum Holdings, and the Minister for Culture or his or her delegated representative.

[11 December 2008; 8 June 2017]

Section 6. Competence of the Council of Museums

The Council of Museums shall:

1) promote the development and co-operation of public and private museums;

2) provide the ministries and local governments with opinions regarding sections of draft State budget and local government budgets, which are related to the financing of museums, as well as regarding other issues related to the operation of museums;

3) provide consultations regarding the founding, reorganisation or liquidation of State and local government museums;

4) provide the Ministry of Culture with opinions on the conformity of museums with the accreditation requirements;

5) provide the Ministry of Culture with opinions on the withdrawal of museum objects from the National Holdings;

6) provide the Ministry of Culture with opinions on the establishment and conservation of the National Holdings;

7) submit proposals regarding candidates to positions of museum directors to the ministries and local governments;

8) submit proposals to the Ministry of Culture for the preparation of museum specialists (personnel) and improvement of their qualification;

9) submit an opinion to the Ministry of Culture on the conformity of a museum with the status of a cultural institution of national or regional significance;

10) provide the manager of the information system of the joint catalogue of the National Museum Holdings with opinions on and suggestions for the development and expansion of the system.

[1 December 2009; 8 June 2017]

Section 7. Concept, Core Functions, and Mission of a Museum

(1) A museum is a permanent institution which is accessible to the public and serves the society and its development and which acquires, stores, conserves, researches, communicates, and exhibits the tangible and intangible heritage of humanity and the environment in order to promote research, education of the public, and to provide emotional pleasure to the public, and the activities of which in implementation of the functions of a museum are not orientated towards earning profit.

(2) A museum shall have the following core functions:

1) acquisition, documentation, conservation of and provision of access to the museum collections;

2) research of the museum collections and of the information related thereto;

3) education of the public through the use of permanent and temporary exhibitions and educational programmes, as well as other types of communication related to the operation of the museum.

(3) The core functions of a museum shall be implemented according to its mission - the general objective of the operation of the museum which includes justification of the necessity of the museum and information regarding its profile or specialisation which is determined by the relation of the museum collections to a certain field of science or field of activity, as well as the time range, territory, and target audience encompassed by the operation of the museum.

[8 June 2017]

Section 7.¹ Division of Museums

(1) Museums shall be divided into public, autonomous, and private museums depending on their founder and source of funding.

(2) Museums of the State, a local government, or several local governments, and autonomous museums shall be public museums.

(3) Institutions founded by the Cabinet (public agencies), units thereof, and also derived public persons shall be State museums.

(4) Institutions founded by local governments (public agencies), units thereof, and also units of local governments shall be museums of a local government or several local governments. Within the meaning of this Law, museums founded by a local government or several local governments as associations or foundations, or an association of which the respective local government is a member (hereinafter - the local government museum which is an association (foundation)) shall also be considered as local government museums.

(5) The following shall be be autonomous museums:

1) institutions (public agencies) established by legal persons governed by public law, for example, State higher education institutions, State scientific institutes, except for local governments, or units thereof which implement the core functions of a museum specified in this Law;

2) legal persons governed by private law the member or founder of which is a legal person governed by public law or units thereof which implement the core functions of a museum specified in this Law.

(6) Authorities founded by legal persons governed by private law or natural persons, or units of such authorities, including commercial companies, associations, foundations which implement the core functions of a museum specified in this Law, shall be private museums.

[18 March 2021]

Section 8. Procedures for the Foundation, Reorganisation, and Liquidation of Public and Private Museums

(1) State museums which are institutions and State museums which are derived public persons shall be founded, reorganised, and liquidated by the Cabinet upon proposal of the Ministry of Culture or another ministry in consultation with the Council of Museums. The Cabinet shall approve the by-laws thereof. Museums which are units of State institutions shall be founded, reorganised, and liquidated by the head of the institution in consultation with the Council of Museums. A State museum which is a derived public person shall be under institutional supervision of the minister who is responsible for the field of operation of the respective museum.

(2) A local government museum shall be founded by a local government or several local governments. The founders thereof shall approve the by-laws of local government museums. Local government museums shall be founded, reorganised, and liquidated in consultation with the Council of Museums. A local government museum which is an association (foundation) shall operate in accordance with the Associations and Foundations Law, this Law, other laws and regulations, and the statutes of the association (foundation).

(3) Autonomous museums and private museums shall be founded, reorganised, and liquidated by the owners thereof.

(4) A State museum which is an institution or a unit thereof may be reorganised into a State museum which is a derived public person in accordance with Section 15, Paragraph three, Clause 1 of the State Administration Structure Law, if the Cabinet takes a respective decision. The accreditation certificate issued to a museum subject to reorganisation prior to reorganisation shall remain valid until the end of the accreditation term.

(5) In cases of reorganisation and liquidation of accredited museums, the founder of the respective museum has an obligation to consult with the Council of Museums on subsequent actions involving objects of the respective museum which are included in the National Holdings and to alienate a museum collections in compliance with the conditions of Section 13 of this Law.

(6) If an accredited private museum or an accredited autonomous museum referred to in Section 7.¹, Paragraph five, Clause 2 of this Law is liquidated, State or local government museums have the pre-emptive right to acquire the objects or collection of the respective museum subject to liquidation.

[18 March 2021]

Section 9. Accreditation and Registration of Museums

(1) A State museum, a museum of a local government (local governments), and the museum referred to in Section 7.¹, Paragraph five, Clause 1 of this Law have the obligation to receive accreditation not sooner than three and not later than five years after founding thereof. The museum referred to in Section 7.¹, Paragraph five, Clause 2 of this Law and a private museum have the right to apply for accreditation if the museum has been operating for at least three years after founding thereof. The Cabinet shall determine the procedures for the accreditation of museums.

(2) A museum shall obtain the status of an accredited museum if it corresponds to the following accreditation requirements:

1) there is a by-law, statutes, regulations or a contract of the museum approved by the founder;

2) the museum performs all the core functions specified in Section 7, Paragraph two of this Law;

3) an inventory of the museum collections has been performed;

4) there are premises, equipment and security systems guaranteeing the conservation of the museum collections;

5) public access is ensured for permanent and temporary exhibitions, as well as for a non-exhibited part of the collections which corresponds to the mission of the museum;

6) a strategy for the operation and development of the museum has been drawn up.

(3) The compliance of the museum with the accreditation requirements shall be assessed by the Ministry of Culture by analysing the annual progress reports of the museum and performing inspections at the museum. Accreditation to the museum shall be refused or the status of an accredited museum shall be removed if the museum does not conform to the accreditation requirements.

(4) A decision on accreditation of a museum, on refusal of accreditation, or removal of the status of an accredited museum shall be taken by the Ministry of Culture based on a report drawn up by the museum accreditation committee and an opinion of the Council of Museums.

(5) A decision on accreditation of a museum or on refusal of accreditation shall be taken within six months after the day when an application for accreditation of the museum has been registered with the Ministry of Culture. A decision on removal of the status of an accredited museum shall be taken within six months after the day when a report of the accreditation committee has been received by the Ministry of Culture.

(6) If a museum which has a duty to accredit is not accredited during the accreditation procedure, it may re-apply for accreditation within one year if the shortcomings established during the accreditation procedure have been eliminated. If the museum is not accredited after a repeated application, the authority to which the respective museum is subordinated shall assess the reasons for refusal of accreditation and take one of the following decisions on further operation of the museum - on improvement of the operation of the museum to ensure that accreditation requirements are met, on suspension of the operation of the museum, on reorganisation or liquidation of the museum.

(7) The Ministry of Culture shall establish and maintain a register of museums. All accredited museums, as well as - upon agreement with owners of private museums - private non-accredited museums shall be included in the register of museums. A museum, for inclusion in the register of museums, shall submit a copy of the articles of incorporation thereof, as well as a copy of the document that regulates the operation of the museum (by-laws, statutes, contract, etc.) to the Ministry of Culture. Information regarding granting of accreditation to the museum, refusal of accreditation, or removal of the status of an accredited museum shall be indicated in the register of museums.

[8 June 2017; 18 March 2021]

Section 10. Rights and Obligations of Museums

(1) A museum has the right:

1) to bring objects of the National Holdings temporarily out of the State after receipt of a permission of the Ministry of Culture;

2) to provide paid services, carry out publishing and use the obtained resources for the development of operation of the museum, supplementing and conservation of the museum collections, restoration, improvement of professional knowledge of employees, their material stimulation and provision of research work;

3) to implement copyright in relation to the museum collections in possession thereof in accordance with the Copyright Law;

4) to receive funds from the State budget for implementation of cultural and historical, fine arts and other nationally significant projects and programmes;

5) to enter into civil legal transactions in order to promote the conservation, supplementing, research of the museum collections, as well as other transactions, which are necessary for ensuring of operation of the museum;

6) to receive support of the Ministry of Culture regarding methodology;

7) to conduct economic activity, including trade of souvenirs and printing work, if it is necessary for the promotion of the core functions and operation of the museum;

8) to establish an Advisory Council of the museum which shall provide proposals in matters related to the operation of the museum, to approve the composition and by-laws thereof. The competence of the Advisory Council of the museum shall be determined by the director or manager of the museum.

(2) Museums shall have an obligation:

1) to ensure the availability of the museum collections to visitors and researchers;

2) to provide an annual report on operation to the Ministry of Culture and information to the Council of Museums necessary for examination of the issues within the competence thereof;

3) to accredit in conformity with the accreditation requirements and procedures laid down in this Law;

4) to ensure entering, updating, and accessibility of descriptions of objects and collections of the National Holdings in its possession (ownership) in the information system of the joint catalogue of the National Museum Holdings, ensuring conformity of the entered data with the information of the museum, and also in conformity with the requirements of the laws and regulations governing the protection of personal data and copyright;

5) to establish a Collection Commission of the museum;

6) for a State museum which is a derived public person to determine the own budget and the prices of the paid services provided by the museum;

7) for the local government museum which is an association (foundation) to determine the prices of the paid services provided thereby.

(3) Museums may not alienate or withdraw objects of the National Holdings from a museum collection without the permission of the Ministry of Culture.

(3¹) Restrictions on acceptance of donations specified in Section 14 of the law On Prevention of Conflict of Interest in Activities of Public Officials shall not apply to museums.

(4) The rights and obligations of museums shall be determined in the by-law, statutes, regulations or contract of the respective museum.

(5) A museum may perform scientific activities and register in the register of scientific institutions in accordance with the procedures specified in the Law on Scientific Activity.

[1 December 2009; 8 June 2017; 18 March 2021]

Section 11. Management of Museums

(1) An open competition for the position of the director (manager) of a State museum (except for a museum which is a unit of a State institution) shall be announced. The director (manager) of the State museum shall be hired for a period of five years and shall be dismissed by the minister to whom the respective State museum is subordinated. The respective minister may, six months before the end of the term of office of the director (manager) of the State museum, in consultation with the Council of Museums, take the decision to extend the term of office of the director (manager) holding the position for a period of five years.

(2) Directors and managers of local government museums shall be hired by the respective local government, whereas the director (manager) of a local government museum which association (foundation) shall be hired by the founder of the respective association (foundation) in consultation with the Council of Museums.

(3) [18 March 2021]

(4) The director (manager) of the museum shall be responsible for the operation of the museum and the results thereof, for conformity with this Law and other laws and regulations governing the operation of the museum, and also for the rational use of intellectual, human, financial, and material resources. The director (manager) of the museum shall:

1) ensure execution of the functions of the museum - coordinated implementation of the work related to museum collections, research, and communication, drafting and updating of the development strategy of the museum, and also plan, coordinate, and control the implementation of such functions;

2) be responsible for regular assessment of the operation of the museum, ensure the preparation of the museum for the accreditation process and the preparation of the report on the operation of the museum;

3) be responsible for the improvement of the accessibility of the museum and the quality of services of the museum, determine the priorities for the core activity of the museum, and supervise the implementation thereof;

4) perform other functions specified in laws and regulations.

(5) The board of the association (foundation) shall be responsible for the execution of the functions of the museum specified for a local government museum which is an association (foundation) and the conformity of the operation thereof with the provisions of this Law.

[18 March 2021]

Section 11.¹ Collection Commission of the Museum, Composition and Competence Thereof

(1) The Collection Commission of the museum is a collegial authority which, according to the mission and profile of the respective museum, examines matters related to actions involving objects of the National Holdings, museum-related and museum objects and provides an opinion to the director (manager) of the museum in respect of taking the decision on inclusion of such objects in the National Holdings, withdrawal and alienation thereof from the National Holdings, loan, and also temporary bringing thereof outside the Republic of Latvia. The Collection Commission of the museum shall provide an opinion to the director (manager) of the museum on acceptance of museum-related objects as gifts and donations.

(2) The Collection Commission of the museum shall be managed by an employee appointed by the director (manager) of the museum who is responsible for the establishment, supplementation, record-keeping, conservation of the National Holdings in the ownership or possession of the museum and actions with the objects therein. There shall be at least three museum specialists in the composition of the Collection Commission of the museum. If there are less than three specialists in the museum, specialists or experts corresponding to the profile of the museum shall be included in the Collection Commission of the museum. The director (manager) of the museum shall approve the composition of the Collection Commission of the museum.

[18 March 2021]

Section 12. National Museum

(1) A national museum shall be such museum:

1) the collections of which territorially, chronologically and thematically comprise the whole State and are the most important and complete in the profile thereof;

2) the research work of which ensures a comprehensive research of the museum collections and researches in scientific disciplines;

3) the permanent and temporary exhibitions of which and other types of communication related to the operation of the museum ensure availability of the museum collections and comprehensive usage thereof for education and development of the society;

4) which performs activities confirming that the museum is the leading institution in the field of museums.

(2) A museum may submit an application for obtaining the status of a museum to the Ministry of Culture, in which conformity thereof to the status of a cultural institution of national significance is justified.

(3) The Cabinet shall take a decision regarding granting of the status of national museum upon the proposal of the Ministry of Culture.

Section 12.¹ Regional Museum

(1) An accredited museum is entitled to obtain the status of a regional museum provided that it corresponds to all of the following criteria:

1) its collections territorially, chronologically, or thematically refer to a certain region and in its profile this is the most complete and most significant museum in the relevant region;

2) its research work ensures comprehensive research of the museum collections and research within the framework of the relevant region or topic;

3) its permanent and temporary exhibitions, educational events, and other types of communication related to the operation of the museum ensure availability of the museum collections and their use for education and development of the society;

4) it performs activities that confirm its role as the leading institution in the relevant region or within the relevant topic.

(2) The museum that applies for the status of a regional museum shall submit an application thereon to the Ministry of Culture. The application shall be supplemented with the documents that confirm the conformity of the museum with the criteria referred to in Paragraph one of this Section.

(3) A decision to grant the status of a regional museum, to refuse to grant, or to remove the status shall be taken by the Ministry of Culture after taking the opinion of the Council of Museums into consideration. Granting of the status of a regional museum shall be refused or such status shall be removed if the museum does not conform to any of the criteria referred to in Paragraph one of this Section. A decision to grant the status of a regional museum or to refuse to grant it shall be taken within six months after the day of receipt of the application. Conformity of the operation of the museum with the criteria of a regional museum shall be analysed during the accreditation procedure of the museum. A decision to remove the status of a regional museum shall be taken within six months after the day when a report of the accreditation committee has been received.

[8 June 2017]

Section 13. National Holdings

(1) The National Holdings shall be national treasure, and it shall be under national protection.

(2) The National Holdings shall be formed by:

1) core collections of accredited State museums, accredited local government museums, and accredited autonomous museums referred to in Section 7.¹, Paragraph five, Clause 1 of this Law;

2) core collections of accredited autonomous museums referred to in Section 7.¹, Paragraph five, Clause 2 of this Law and accredited private museums (with the consent of the Council of Museums);

3) the museum-related objects of a private collection or individual museum-related objects (upon proposal of the owner and with the consent of the Council of Museums).

(2¹) In order to prevent the inclusion of illegally obtained and moved cultural and natural values in the National Holdings, museums shall establish and supplement the National Holdings in conformity with the Code of Ethics for Museums of the International Council of Museums and international agreements binding on the Republic of Latvia.

(3) Objects and collections of the National Holdings are included in the information system of the joint catalogue of the National Holdings which includes basic information on objects of the museum collections.

(4) Institutions and private persons, who possess or own objects of the National Holdings, shall ensure conservation and possibilities of usage thereof.

(5) The State shall grant budget resources for the maintenance, conservation and restoration of objects and collections of the National Holdings.

(6) The following provisions shall be observed in relation to the objects and collections of the National Holdings:

1) it is prohibited to alienate individual objects or collections included in the National Holdings;

2) in alienating any collection or object included in the National Holdings, first it shall be offered to another accredited museum with the intermediation and permission of the Ministry of Culture;

3) it is prohibited to pledge objects or collections included in the National Holdings, and recovery proceedings may not be applied to them upon the request of a creditor.

(7) An object may be withdrawn from the National Holdings if:

1) the object has significant damage due to which it cannot be restored;

2) the object has been lost or naturally disintegrated;

3) the object has been obtained illegally, including as a result of violating international agreements binding on the Republic of Latvia;

4) the object has lost the museum-related value thereof;

5) the object by the origin, content, or other features thereof can be used more effectively in public interests if it is transferred to another authority responsible for the conservation, popularisation, and national protection of the cultural and historical heritage and, after withdrawal from the National Holdings, is included in the National Libraries Collection, the national documentary heritage, or the list of State protected cultural monuments respectively;

6) according to a court ruling (including on the basis of the research of the origin of the object), a new owner has been determined for the object and it has expressed the wish to withdraw the object from the National Holdings.

(8) If a museum does not ensure the conservation of a collection or an object included in the National Holdings in accordance with Cabinet regulations regarding the National Holdings which results in significant damage to the collection or the object, a State or local government museum may propose alienation and withdrawal of the object or the collection from the collections of the respective museum with the intermediation of the Ministry of Culture to the owner. State or local government museums have pre-emptive rights for acquisition of the respective object or collection.

(9) The Ministry of Culture shall issue a permit for withdrawal of an object from the National Holdings upon proposal of such museum where the respective object is located or upon proposal of the owner of the object, taking into account the opinion of the Council of Museums.

(10) The Cabinet shall determine the procedures for the establishment, supplementing, registration, conservation of the National Holdings, actions involving objects and collections therein, as well as the procedures by which an object may be alienated and withdrawn from the National Holdings or temporarily brought out of the State.

[25 October 2007; 1 December 2009; 18 March 2021]

Section 13.¹ Information System of the Joint Catalogue of the National Museum Holdings

(1) Descriptions of objects and collections in the National Holdings are included in the information system of the joint catalogue of the National Museum Holdings.

(2) The information system of the joint catalogue of the National Museum Holdings is a State information system which collects descriptions of the objects and collections of the National Holdings and ensures public availability of the information regarding the tangible and intangible heritage of humanity and the environment which is being stored in museum collections.

(3) The information system of the joint catalogue of the National Museum Holdings shall include:

1) data on the objects and collections that are included in the National Holdings;

2) data on the objects that are included in auxiliary collections and exchange collections of museums;

3) e-services provided by the museum.

(4) Institutions and private individuals that are possessors or owners of objects of the National Holdings shall perform data entry, data updating and ensure their availability in the information system of the joint catalogue of the National Museum Holdings and conformity of the entered data with the information which is at the disposal of the relevant institutions and individuals, in conformity with the requirements of protection of personal data and protection of copyright.

(5) The data to be entered in the information system of the joint catalogue of the National Museum Holdings shall be obtained electronically in online data transmission mode.

(6) The data which are accessible to the public and included in the information system of the joint catalogue of the National Museum Holdings, may be used for free in online mode in the portal of the joint catalogue of the National Museum Holdings.

(7) The e-services provided by the museum shall be available online for free or for a charge according to the price list approved by the museum.

(8) The Cabinet shall determine the system manager of the joint catalogue of the National Museum Holdings and obligations thereof, volume of the data to be included in the information system of the joint catalogue of the National Museum Holdings, the procedures for the development and supplementing of the information system of the joint catalogue of the National Museum Holdings, the procedures of processing the data included in this system, user management, user rights and responsibility.

[8 June 2017]

Section 13.² Management and Use of the National Holdings in a State Museum which Is a Derived Public Person and in a Local Government Museum which Is an Association (Foundation)

(1) Museum collections or a museum object in the ownership of the State or a local government may be transferred for free in the possession of an accredited State museum which is a derived public person or of an accredited local government museum which is an association (foundation) for the implementation of the core functions and the mission specified in Section 7 of this Law by entering into a delegation contract in the case of a State museum which is a derived public person and into an administrative contract in the case of the local government museum which is an association (foundation) (hereinafter - the contract).

(2) The contract on transfer of museum collections or museum objects to the museum referred to in Paragraph one of this Section shall be entered into for a period of time not exceeding the accreditation term of the respective museum.

(3) The following shall be determined in the contract:

1) the obligation to acquire, document, conserve the museum collections transferred in possession and to provide access thereto;

2) the amount of the State or local government budget funding related to the museum collections transferred in possession, the purpose of use, and the procedures for submitting a report on the use of the State or local government funding received;

3) the amount of the transferred objects of museum collections, characterising the state of the conservation thereof.

(4) A State museum which is a derived public person and a local government museum which is an association (foundation) shall supplement the museum collections in the possession thereof according to its mission and the policy for the acquisition of the museum collections.

(5) If the museum referred to in Paragraph one of this Section terminates its operation or is reorganised, the decision on the transfer of the museum collections or museum objects, which have been transferred thereto, in the possession of another accredited museum shall be taken in respect of a State museum which is a derived public person by the ministry exercising institutional supervision of the respective museum, but in respect of a museum of a local government (local governments) which is an association (foundation) - by the founder thereof in consultation with the Council of Museums.

[18 March 2021]

Section 14. Financing of State Museums and Local Government Museums

(1) State museums shall be financed from the State budget, local government museums shall be financed by the respective local government or several respective local governments, providing for resources for:

1) the maintenance and restoration of the buildings of the museum;

2) rental of premises, payments for public utility services, tax payments and payments for land lease;

3) supplementing (procurement, expeditions), conservation, physical security (security, insurance and fire safety equipment), as well as research and usage of the museum collections;

4) equipment for the maintenance of the microclimate, conservation and restoration of museum objects;

5) employment of the museum staff;

6) international co-operation;

7) education of society and the popularisation of cultural and historical values by organising permanent and temporary exhibitions, as well as using other ways of education and popularisation related to the operation of the museum.

(1¹) A State museum which is a derived public person shall be financed by the founder thereof, ensuring State budget funds for the implementation of specific State administration functions or for the performance of tasks:

1) for the conservation, maintenance, development of the cultural and historical heritage complex - the museum collections, cultural monuments, cultural and historical landscape as an inseparable entirety - and for ensuring accessibility thereof to the public;

2) for the establishment, conservation of the National Holdings and for ensuring accessibility thereof to the public;

3) for the promotion of international recognition of the cultural and historic heritage complex and for the development of cultural tourism;

4) for the research of the museum collections and the information related thereto and for the performance of methodological work;

5) for education and involvement of the public through the use of the means of communication characteristic to the museum;

6) for the maintenance and improvement of the infrastructure - buildings, engineering communications, premises, territory of the museum.

(1²) A local government museum which is an association (foundation) and a local government museum which is an association (foundation) the co-founder or member of which is the local government shall be financed by the founder or co-founders thereof in accordance with the procedures laid down in the by-laws of the museum which is an association (foundation), participating in ensuring the following functions of the museum with funding from the local government budget:

1) the establishment, conservation of the National Holdings and ensuring accessibility thereof to the public;

2) the promotion of international recognition of the cultural and historic heritage and the development of cultural tourism;

3) the research of the museum collections and the information related thereto and the performance of methodological work, if the museum performs methodological work;

4) education and involvement of the public through the use of the means of communication characteristic to the museum;

5) the maintenance and improvement of the infrastructure - buildings, engineering communications, premises, territory of the museum.

(2) State museums and local government museums may also receive additional financial resources from other sources as donations and gifts, as well as earn income from paid services and other revenue thereof. Resources obtained from the paid services and other own revenues shall be transferred to the basic budget account of the museum and they shall be used only for the development of the operation of the museum and for covering expenses related to the provision of services.

(3) If State museums and local government museums receive a donation or a gift with or without a specified objective, they shall open an account of the special budget.

[18 March 2021]

Section 14.¹ Property of a State Museum which Is a Derived Public Person

(1) The property of a State museum which is a derived public person may be movable property, immovable property, and intellectual property, financial resources, and also other property in Latvia and abroad in accordance with laws and regulations.

(2) The property of a State museum which is a derived public person shall consist of:

1) movable property and immovable property received as a gift, donation, inheritance, transferred in ownership without remuneration, or obtained using own funds;

2) property purchased with State budget funds. Immovable property shall be entered in the Land Register as the property of the respective State museum which is a derived public person;

3) intellectual property of a State museum which is a derived public person.

(3) State or local government immovable property where a State museum which is a derived public person is located and the land below the property may be transferred to the State museum which is a derived public person on the basis of a decision by the Cabinet or a local government for the implementation of the functions thereof and such property shall be entered in the Land Register as the property of the respective State museum which is a derived public person.

(4) The museum collections shall not be regarded as the property of a State museum which is a derived public person and may only be in the possession of the museum.

(5) A State museum which is a derived public person has the right to handle the property transferred in the ownership, possession, or use thereof in order to achieve the objective of the operation thereof and the implementation of the functions thereof.

[18 March 2021]

Section 15. International Co-operation

(1) Museums are entitled to co-operate independently with museums in other states, to join international museum organisations and to participate in the activities thereof.

(2) Museums may receive a State guaranteed insurance for the organisation of international exhibitions in accordance with the procedures specified by the Cabinet.

Section 16. Information Regarding Objects of Cultural Heritage

(1) Information regarding storage areas, collections, permanent and temporary exhibitions, research centres, science centres, commemoration sites, and similar cultural heritage objects that are created with the purpose of implementing any of the core functions of the museum referred to in Section 7, Paragraph two of this Law may be included in the register of museums.

(2) Information regarding the cultural heritage object referred to in Paragraph one of this Section shall be included in the register of museums if the owner or an authorised person thereof submits an application thereon to the Ministry of Culture. The name of the cultural heritage object, the given name and surname of its owner, the year of establishment of the object, a short description, the address, information regarding the possibilities of a visit thereof, the contact information (telephone number, e-mail address, website address) shall be indicated in the application. The applicant shall update information in the register of museums in the first quarter of each year by sending the information referred to in the application to the Ministry of Culture. If information is not updated for two consecutive years, it shall be removed from the register of museums.

[8 June 2017]

Transitional Provisions

1. Until coming into force of the respective Cabinet regulations, but not longer than until 30 June 2006 the following Cabinet regulations shall be applicable insofar as they comply with this Law:

1) Cabinet Regulation No. 265 of 21 July 1998, By-law of the State Council of Museums (Latvijas Republikas Saeimas and Ministru Kabineta Ziņotājs, 1998, No. 18);

2) Cabinet Regulation No. 311 of 18 August 1998, Regulations regarding the National Museums Collection (Latvijas Republikas Saeimas and Ministru Kabineta Ziņotājs, 1998, No. 18);

3) Cabinet Regulation No. 420 of 27 October 1998, Procedures, by which the Ministry of Culture Grants Resources Specifically Provided for in the State Budget for Implementation of Specific Cultural and Historical, Fine Art and Other Nationally Significant Projects and Programmes (Latvijas Republikas Saeimas and Ministru Kabineta Ziņotājs, 1998, No. 22);

4) Cabinet Regulation No. 196 of 30 March 2004, Regulations regarding Accreditation of Museums (Latvijas Republikas Saeimas and Ministru Kabineta Ziņotājs, 2004, No. 11).

2. Autonomous museums, which are a public agency (institution) established by a derived legal person governed by public law (except local governments) or a unit of such public agency (institution), shall have an obligation to settle accreditation within a time period of three years from the day of coming into force of this Law.

3. Museum accreditation certificates issued prior to the coming into force of this Law shall remain in force until the end of the accreditation term.

4. Section 13, Paragraph two, Clause 2 of this Law shall come into force on 1 July 2006.

5. With the coming into force of this Law the Museum Law (Latvijas Republikas Saeimas and Ministru Kabineta Ziņotājs, 1997, No. 16) is repealed.

6. The Cabinet shall, not later than by 31 December 2017, issue the Cabinet regulations referred to in Section 13.¹, Paragraph eight, and make all the necessary amendments to Cabinet Regulation No. 532 of 27 June 2006, Regulations Regarding the Accreditation of Museums, and to Cabinet Regulation No. 956 of 21 November 2006, Regulations Regarding the National Holdings of Museums.

[8 June 2017]

7. The director of a State museum who took up the position prior to coming into force of amendments to Section 11, Paragraph one of this Law (regarding the announcement of an open competition for the position of the director of a State museum, hiring of the director of a State museum for a period of five years) shall continue to perform his or her official duties for the next five years after coming into force of amendments to Section 11, Paragraph one of this Law. Six months before the end of the term of office of the director of a State museum, the respective minister shall, in consultation with the Council of Museums, take the decision to extend the term for a period of five years or a reasoned decision to dismiss the director of a State museum and shall inform thereof the person in respect of whom the decision was taken.

[18 March 2021]

The Law has been adopted by the Saeima on 15 December 2005.

President V. Vīķe-Freiberga

Rīga, 3 January 2006

¹ The Parliament of the Republic of Latvia

Translation © 2022 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre)