The Latvian National Museum of Art is housed in a striking early 20th-century building on Valdemāra iela, designed by Wilhelm Neumann in a lavish Baroque Revival style. The permanent collection spans Latvian painting and sculpture from the 18th century to the present, with strong holdings in Baltic Romanticism and early modernist landscapes.
The renovated interior is worth seeing on its own — a grand marble staircase leads to airy galleries with high ceilings and natural light. Temporary exhibitions on the upper floors tend to feature contemporary Latvian and Baltic artists. A combined ticket with the decorative arts museum next door is available.
Janis Rozentāls and Vilhelms Purvītis, two pillars of Latvian art, are well represented. Allow about an hour for a visit, more if the temporary exhibitions interest you.