Embassy of Latvia

5÷14÷16 visitors were not welcomed into the embassy though a few tables were set up with small samples of cheese bread and sausage. 3 couples in costume performed a native dance outdoors. It rained and wind swirled as they got started so guests scrambled for cover.

Open for an art exhibit last weekend — this alone bumps it up to 4 stars. Modest space but welcoming staff.

Checked the embassy out during Passport DC Open House week. The building has a lot of walls making the space feel tight. Inside, it’s really just like a well to do family’s house. Nothing remarkable. They had some Latvian paintings on display, had people dressed in native dress to take pictures with (nice!) and a woman spinning yarn out of wool on a wheel. Learned that before there was electricity, they would taste the yarn at night to know what color they were dealing with. Each dye was made out of a different plant and thus had a different flavor. Learned something new– yeah culture!

Like many small embassies, the Embassy of Latvia is rarely open for public events. The embassy building itself is not that large, but also the number of diplomats is small (currently 9 people, and that includes the accountant!).
The embassy did participate in EU Open House day in 2008, and I would imagine that it will continue to do so in the future. Many people who attended the Open House commented that this building was their favorite among the handful they’d seen on that day.
The embassy building is attractive and has an interesting history. It was built in 1902 for philanthropist and socialite Alice Pike Barney. Ms Pike Barney entertained many prominent people in her home, including presidents Taft and Teddy Roosevelt. After her death, the building housed the Embassy of Peru and later other organizations. The building was given to the Smithsonian Institution’s American Association of Museums in 1960.
In 1999 it was sold by the Smithsonian to an individual, and the government of Latvia purchased it in 2001. After extensive renovations, the Embassy moved to the building in 2005. The site (building and carriage house) are on the National Register of Historic Places.
Only two floors contain reception space, while other floors are office space and thus closed to the public. I am certainly no architecture expert, so I will not try to explain what the public rooms look like, except to say that they are lovely. The photos I’ve posted will give you only a small taste. So, I highly recommend you check out this building the next time the embassy is open to the public!