The Latvian War Museum, housed in the historic Powder Tower at the edge of the Old Town, covers eight centuries of conflict on Latvian soil — from medieval battles to the two World Wars and the Soviet occupation. The Powder Tower itself, a 14th-century round bastion that still has cannonballs embedded in its walls, is part of the exhibit.
The collection is strong on the independence wars of 1918–1920 and the brutal German and Soviet occupations of the 1940s. Well laid out and thoughtfully presented, with good English labelling throughout. Free entry.