News from the Museum's souvenir collection – Miks’ Bears!

At the Museum's visitor reception centre, you can buy handmade bears like Miks, the exhibition teddy bear who helps the Museum's youngest visitors understand the complex history of Latvia.

Miks’ story at the Museum began in 2020, when, while working on the new exposition, director Lauris Gundars and the H2E design studio, together with the Museum's staff, created Miks, who lives through the course of Latvian history, from the loss of independence to its renewal. It is symbolic, that Miks' story echoes the story of a real teddy bear called Jānītis. Jānītis was donated to the Museum by the diplomat Sandra Kalniete, who received it as a child in Siberia from relatives in Latvia. It became her trusted friend in exile, but years later it was passed on to her son.

Now the real bear and his "brothers" have won the appreciation of our youngest visitors.

The new range of souvenirs to remember your visit to the Museum includes brooches, trinkets and various little bears.

The little bears were all handmade with love and care by Iveta Mediņa, secretary of the of the Occupation Museum Association of Latvia, and Daina Krastiņa, board member of the Association.

Come and buy these special souvenirs and take a piece of Latvian history and Miks’ story home with you!