Updated in October 2026, this Three Brothers guide covers ticket prices, opening hours, parking or transport, accessibility and what to see.
The Three Brothers are three adjoining medieval houses at Mazā Pils iela 17, 19 and 21 in the Old Town of Riga, Latvia. They house the Latvian Museum of Architecture, and admission is free. The museum is open on weekdays only, so it is closed at weekends. This guide was last updated in October 2026 and confirms the free admission, the weekday opening hours and the address of the museum.
Quick facts: the Three Brothers
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | Monday 9am to 6pm. Tuesday and Thursday 9am to 5pm. Wednesday 9am to 7pm. Friday 9am to 4pm. Closed Saturday and Sunday. |
| Ticket prices | Free admission. |
| Address | Mazā Pils iela 17, 19 and 21, Riga, LV-1050. The museum entrance is at Mazā Pils iela 19. |
| Nearest transport or parking | Old Town walking zone. Riga Cathedral is about 5 minutes’ walk away. |
| Typical time needed | About 30 minutes to 1 hour |
Three Brothers opening hours
The Latvian Museum of Architecture in the Three Brothers is open on weekdays only. It is closed on Saturdays and Sundays. The hours differ by day:
- Monday: 9am to 6pm.
- Tuesday: 9am to 5pm.
- Wednesday: 9am to 7pm.
- Thursday: 9am to 5pm.
- Friday: 9am to 4pm.
The museum shares the buildings with the State Inspection for Heritage Protection. There are no seasonal changes to the listed schedule.
The exterior of the houses can be seen at any time from Mazā Pils iela. Visitors who come at the weekend can still see the facades.
Phone the museum on +371 67220779 to check the hours before you go.
5 top experiences to book in Riga
- 🐕 Mush through the snow on a husky dog sledding tour.
- 🍴 On a food tour of Riga Central Market, indulge in 20-plus tastings.
- 🎯 Shoot Winchesters and Kalashnikovs at the Riga Gun Range.
- 🏛️ Take an art nouveau walking tour to find Riga’s most extraordinary architecture.
- 🚶 Discover the highlights of the Latvian capital on an Old Town walking tour.
Three Brothers ticket prices
Admission to the Latvian Museum of Architecture in the Three Brothers is free. No ticket is needed to visit the exhibitions.
- Museum entry: free.
- Exhibitions: free, and they change through the year.
- Facades and courtyard: the street facades can be viewed free at any time.
Opening hours and admission details were checked on the official website and last updated in October 2026.
How to get to the Three Brothers
The houses are in the centre of the Old Town, on Mazā Pils iela (Small Castle Street). They are easy to reach on foot from most central locations.
- From Riga Cathedral: walk north on Pils iela from Dome Square, then turn left onto Mazā Pils iela. The Three Brothers are on your left. It takes about 5 minutes.
- From Riga Castle: the lane starts a couple of minutes’ walk from the castle, by the river.
- From the House of the Black Heads: the walk through the Old Town takes about 7 minutes.
- By public transport: the Old Town is a pedestrian zone. Get off at a stop on the edge of the Old Town and walk in.
Parking at the Three Brothers
There is no parking at the Three Brothers. The Old Town is largely a pedestrian zone, and Mazā Pils iela is a narrow lane.
Car parking is available on the Daugava embankment, about 300 m from Town Hall Square. From there it is a short walk through the Old Town to the houses.
How long to spend at the Three Brothers
Plan about 30 minutes to 1 hour. Seeing the three facades takes only a few minutes, and the museum exhibitions take the rest of the time.
The houses are close to Riga Cathedral and Riga Castle, so the visit fits easily into a walk through the Old Town.
Accessibility at the Three Brothers
The Three Brothers are medieval houses. The oldest, at number 17, has the narrow proportions of a late 15th-century dwelling. The street lane is cobbled and narrow.
The museum’s website gives no accessibility information. Phone the museum on +371 67220779 before your visit to ask about access.
Mazā Pils iela is a flat lane in the Old Town. The cobbled surface can be uneven underfoot.
What to see at the Three Brothers
The Three Brothers are the oldest complex of dwelling houses in Riga. The name comes from a similar group of warehouses in Tallinn, called the Three Sisters. Legend says the houses were built by three brothers, but the three buildings date from different centuries.
Number 17 is the oldest masonry dwelling in Riga, dating from the end of the 15th or the start of the 16th century. It has a gabled roof, Gothic niches and some Renaissance features. The original house had one room with a chimney-kitchen, and the attic stored goods.
In 1697, a bakery in the house led to extensions to the yard and the street. The street extension was removed in the 1955 to 1957 restoration, led by the architect P. Saulitis.
Number 19 gained its present look in 1646. Its facade shows features of Dutch Mannerism, restored from a drawing by J. C. Brotze dated 1785. A stone portal was added in 1746. A spacious room with large checked windows is above the low hall.
Number 21 dates from the end of the 17th century. It has a baroque curved pediment, and a wooden staircase leads from the hall to small office rooms on each floor. The house is narrow and belonged to a single family.
The three backyards were joined during the restoration. Stone portals and the Riga coat of arms are built into the yard walls.
The Latvian Museum of Architecture was established in 1994 and opened on 19 April 1995. Its collection holds about 15,000 items, mostly architects’ original drawings from the end of the 18th century to the present. The museum holds changing exhibitions on architecture, urban planning and design.
Practical visitor tips
| Topic | Tip |
|---|---|
| Timing | The museum is open Monday to Friday only. Wednesday is the longest day, until 7pm. |
| Crowds | The lane is narrow, so the facades are best photographed outside peak hours. |
| Layout | The museum entrance is at number 19, the middle house. Numbers 17 and 21 stand on either side. |
| Entry process | Admission is free, and no ticket is required. |
| On-site logistics | The houses also hold the State Inspection for Heritage Protection, so be quiet in the shared corridors. |
Frequently asked questions about the Three Brothers
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is the Three Brothers museum free to enter? | Yes. Admission to the Latvian Museum of Architecture is free. |
| Is the Three Brothers suitable for children? | Yes. The facades are easy to view outside, and the museum has changing exhibitions. |
| Do you need to book tickets in advance for the Three Brothers? | No. The museum is free and needs no booking. |
| Is the Three Brothers open on Sundays? | No. The museum is closed on Saturdays and Sundays. The facades can be seen at any time. |
| Which of the Three Brothers is the oldest? | Number 17, which dates from the end of the 15th or the start of the 16th century. |
Things to do near the Three Brothers
- Riga Cathedral: the largest medieval church in the Baltic states, on Dome Square, about 5 minutes’ walk away.
- The House of the Black Heads: a rebuilt 14th-century guildhall on Town Hall Square, about 7 minutes’ walk away.
- The Museum of the Occupation of Latvia: a museum on Latvian Riflemen Square, about 7 minutes’ walk away.
- The Riga Art Nouveau Center: a restored Art Nouveau apartment museum at Alberta iela 12, about 20 minutes’ walk away.
- The Latvian National Museum of Art: a museum of Latvian art on Kr. Valdemāra iela, just north of the Old Town, about 25 minutes’ walk away.
Alternative attractions
- Riga Castle: a castle built in 1515 that is now the home of the Latvian president, a couple of minutes’ walk from the Three Brothers.
- Swedish Gate: a historic gate in the Old Town, on the walking route near Mazā Pils iela.
- St Peter’s Church: a Gothic church in the Old Town, near Town Hall Square.
- Latvian War Museum: a museum in the Powder Tower in the Old Town, with free entry.
- Cat House: a well-known Old Town building on the standard walking route.
