Image: Art Museum Riga Bourse
Māra Lāce, the long-serving director of the Latvian National Museum of Art and an art scholar, received the Baltic Assembly Medal on 22 October 2026 in Tallinn, Estonia. The medal recognized her significant contribution to the development of museum culture and to promoting international art cooperation in the Baltic states.
Lāce worked at the Latvian National Museum of Art for more than 50 years, including 25 years as the museum’s director.
During her leadership, the Latvian National Museum of Art underwent significant changes: its main building was reconstructed and expanded, museum infrastructure was developed, and a modern facility for storing artworks was established.
International cooperation was also substantially expanded.
Cooperation among art institutions in the Baltic states held a significant place in Lāce’s professional work, while international projects implemented under her leadership contributed to research into Baltic artistic heritage and increased its recognition by placing it within the broader context of European art history.
