Fundraising Drive for the Return Trip of the Occupation Museum to its Renewed Home

When the large green wreath was raised above the construction site to celebrate the Topping out festival for the reconstructed Occupation Museum, the staff of the Museum, the builders and the building owners could initiate the return of the Museum back to its real home in the historic centre of Riga.

This date, October 18, also signalled the start of a new fundraising drive to provide provisions and sustenance for reopening and refurbishing the renewed Museum. It is hoped to raise at least 100 000 EUR by appeal to traditional supporters and also new sponsors. The very first donation is 2300 USD from the chairman of the Occupation Museum Association of Latvia, Mr Valters Nollendorfs and his wife Aija Ebdene.

The reconstruction and expansion was planned by the world-renowned architect Gunnar Birkerts, who together with Mr Nollendorfs, named the project the Museum’s House of the Future. At the Topping out festival, Mr Nollendorfs stated that it certainly was due time for the Museum to return to its proper location, and that the “exile” had lasted far too long. He continued: “We gratefully acknowledge the continued support of all the friends of the Museum in Latvia and overseas who did not lose faith but supported us financially, materially, with encouragement and goodwill. Celebrating the Topping out and at the start of the final construction phase, we ask everyone who values our work, to join the fundraising drive to provide sustenance for the return trip and the renovation of the Occupation Museum.”