North Kurzeme Craft Centre “House of Crafts”

The North Kurzeme Craft Consultation Centre or the Ventspils House of Crafts is a sister site of Ventspils Museum. It opened its doors to the public on 3 August 2007 with financial support from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The House of Crafts is situated in a renovated 18th-century building – the oldest schoolhouse in the former Duchy of Courland. Now, it has been transformed into a modern facility for tourism and culture and an interesting landmark for the city’s residents and guests. In the renovated building, visitors can see a 19th-century style classroom.

With advance booking, you can attend a school lesson that will be conducted in the 19th-century tradition. From 1849 to 1851, when the building was used by the district school, a pre-eminent member of the “New Latvians” movement, the distinguished folklorist Krišjānis Barons, was a pupil here.

The House of Crafts has functional workshops for photography, weaving and pottery, and a souvenir salon. The space is frequently used for art and craft exhibitions and locally significant cultural events.