The exhibition draws on the remarkable private collection of Valdis Hofmarks, assembled over more than 40 years. It showcases rare telephones and related artifacts that illustrate how the device transformed everyday life in Latvia from its introduction in 1882 until around 1940. Highlights include elegant desk telephones manufactured by the renowned Swedish company L. M. Ericsson (in both Stockholm and St. Petersburg factories), which dominated Riga’s networks in the early 20th century. An original telephone set from the American Bell company—the very type that launched telephone service in Riga – will be displayed as well.

The 19th-century technical revolution revolutionized human communication, with Alexander Graham Bell’s 1876 U.S. patent marking the telephone’s official birth. In Riga, the technology arrived swiftly: on May 29–30, 1881, a Bell company representative named Tenner demonstrated the device by connecting the gas factory on Basteja Boulevard to the water pumping station (now Latgales Street 194). The city’s first telephone exchange opened on May 19, 1882. Early adoption was limited due to high costs, with only a small number of subscribers.

The turning point came in 1901, when the Bell contract expired and the Riga Telephone Society assumed control. Lower subscription fees fuelled rapid growth—from around 1,070 subscribers in 1901 to 9,819 by 1913—making the telephone an increasingly common feature of urban life during Riga’s Art Nouveau heyday.

Complementing the telephones on display, visitors will have an opportunity to examine  period industry catalogues and documents from Hofmarks’ collection, offering a deeper insight into the design, technology, and social impact of early telecommunication in Latvia.

The exhibition runs through May 31, 2026. The museum opening hours: 10.00 - 18.00, Monday closed.