Senā Klēts
About us

In Senā Klēts, we produce and sell traditional costumes, promote dressing in our traditional costumes, organize traditional costume marches on the day of the Restoration of Independence of the Republic of Latvia, organize mitten knitting workshops, and carry out projects connected to our culture's heritage.

Our aims:

  • Researching the Latvian national costume and historical heritage of Latvia
  • Production of Latvian national costumes based on archaeological museum materials and authentic 19th-century samples.
  • Maintaining and displaying the Latvian national costume collection. 
  • Promotion of making and wearing the Latvian national costume.
Our history

The National Costume Center SENĀ KLĒTS was founded in 1991 by Maruta Grasmane. She was a teacher and the head of the handicrafts department in Riga College of Applied Arts (1976-1997) and a lecturer in the faculty of pedagogy in the University of Latvia (1988-1993). Our center is active in the promotion of ethnography and national applied art in Latvia and worldwide. 

SENĀ KLĒTS has collected a wide range of materials about national costumes and their making, traditional crafts and wearing traditions. Maruta Grasmane led the reproduction projects of more than 45 national costumes from different regions of Latvia. The archives of SENĀ KLĒTS contain several hundred copies (photos, sketches, drawings) of ethnographic mitten patterns from all regions of Latvia, which were digitalized in 2008 with the aim to publish the book "Mittens of Latvia." It was intended as a comprehensive, fundamental, museum-based publication about ethnographic mittens. 

Originally the center was located in K. Barona Street, then – in Merķeļa Street 13, and now – at the center of Riga in Rātslaukums 1.
Exhibitions

In June of 1992 SENĀ KLĒTS organized the first Latvia’s national costume exhibition “Sudmaliņas” in gallery “M6”.

In June of 1993 as a part of The 21st Latvian Song and Dance Festival was held an international Latvian traditional costume crafter conference and costume exhibition.

In July of 1994 an exhibition was held in the museum of Turaida during the “Baltika 94” festival.

In November of 1994 SENĀ KLĒTS held an exhibition “Latvijas karti zīmē cimdi” in New York in The United Nations headquarters, where 100 pairs of mittens, unique in their pattern and color, were displayed. Ambassador Aivars Baumanis

From 11th till 25th April of 1996 SENĀ KLĒTS displayed Latvian traditional costumes and applied arts crafts in Geneva. Ambassador Sandra Kalniete.

In 1996 at the day of Baltic Culture Latvian traditional costumes were displayed in UNESCO headquarters in Paris.

From 1st till 26th September of 2000 an exhibition “Rīga laikmetu spogulī” was held in gallery “Stiftelsen 3,14” in Bergen, Norway due to the president’s visit. Ambassador Normunds Popēns.

From 20th till 27th November of 2000 SENĀ KLĒTS participated in the UN exhibition “Textiles of the World” in Geneva.

In November of 2000 we participated in "Baltic Neighbors Month" organized by Solerod commune in Copenhagen. Ambassador Aivars Baumanis.

In November of 2000 Czech Republic, Prague. Due to the celebration of the day of the proclamation of the Republic of Latvia. Ambassador Aija Odiņa.

From 19th till 29th April of 2001 in Finland, Rauma Textile Art Exhibition “31 Rauma Lace Week”.

May of 2002. Spain, Madrid. Applied arts in the central square of Madrid. Ambassador Aija Odiņa.

14th to 30th June of 2002. Belgium, Bouillon. /Bouillon, Godefroid de bouillon/ (Folk costumes).

May of 2003. Greece, Athens. Ambassador Mārtiņš Lācis. An exhibition of cultural days of the 10 new EU member states was organized as part of the Greek EU presidency.

In November of 2003, Spain. In the premises of the Museum of Anthropology in Madrid, an exhibition of Latvian folk costumes "Archaeological and ethnographic folk costumes and ethnographic ornaments of Latvian regions" was held in honour of Latvia's 85th anniversary. Ambassador Aija Odiņa.

On November 16 of 2004, a large exhibition of folk costumes was opened in Vienna, Austria, in honor of the 86th anniversary of Latvia's independence and Latvia's entry into the European Union. Opened by Latvian Ambassador Elita Kuzma and Latvian Culture Minister Helena Demakova.

January 12 till March 27 of 2005 Folk costume exhibition "Kornhaus" in Burgdorf, Austria. Ambassador of Latvia in Austria Elita Kuzma.

In 2005, US President’s J. Bush's visit. SENĀ KLĒTS participated in an exhibition in honour of the US President, his wife and the specialists accompanying them, giving them the opportunity to get acquainted with the traditions of folk costumes in Latvia.

In 2007, the spouses of 5 presidents and representatives of the official delegations visited SENĀ KLĒTS as part of the NATO summit, gaining an insight into the historical traditions and artisan skills of the Latvian people.

October 23 till November 10 of 2007, USA, Washington. The Embassy of Latvia in Washington, in cooperation with SENĀ KLĒTS held an exhibition of Latvian folk costumes (35 folk costumes from various regions of Latvia), celebrating the 85th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Latvia and the United States. The exhibition was opened by Vaira Vīķe–Freiberga and Ambassador Andrejs Pildegovičs.

In September of 2007, the exhibition "Ethnographic mittens – knitted, drawn" successfully concluded the project "Electronic library of Latvian Ethnograhic mittens", which was realized with the financial support of VKKF.

On June 10 of 2008, an exhibition was opened in Moscow in honour of the 90th anniversary of the Republic of Latvia. SENĀ KLĒTS displayed 31 traditional costumes of various regions of Latvia.

November 7 till December 17 of 2008. In celebration of the 90th anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Latvia, an exhibition of traditional costumes of Latvian regions in the Daugavpils regional history and art museum.

In November of 2008, in Kyiv, Ukraine. An exhibition of 35 traditional costumes.

In August of 2010, the spouses of Latvian Honorary Consuls visited SENĀ KLĒTS, who where then introduced to Latvian traditional costumes and wearing traditions.

July 9 till July 11 of 2011. In Belarus, Vitebsk an art festival "Slavjanskij bazar" was held, where we and Daugavpils City Council Culture Department organized a Latvian regional folk costume exhibition.

In 2011, from August 17 to August 27, we participated in the exhibition "Latvian traditional folk costume" in the Riga Latvian Society House.

From November 25 to December 12 of 2011, 60 pairs of ethnographic mittens were displayed in the exhibition "Warm scarves, patterned mittens" at the Ogre Culture Center.

From November 27 to December 15 of 2012, an exhibition of 37 Latvian folk costumes in the National Museum of Georgia in Tbilisi. 6 Ausmas Spalvinas woven scarves also took part in the exhibition. Ambassador Elita Gavele.

On October 25 of 2013, the opening of the exhibition of 35 Latvian folk costumes as part of the "Lettlands Veckan" ("Latvian Weeks") event at the "Glasets Hus" museum in Limmared, Sweden. Ambassador Gints Jegermanis.

On 29th till 30th October of 2013 SENĀ KLĒTS participated in the "Latvian Days" in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine, which were dedicated to the 95th anniversary of the proclamation of the Republic of Latvia. Opening of the exhibition of Latvian folk costumes in the Dnipropetrovsk National History Museum.

In 2015, the exhibition "Latvian Soul patterns" was exhibited in Munich (March 19 - April 19), Neuminster Abbey in Luxembourg (May 8 - June 7) and Riga (June 27 June - August 23). The exhibition was dedicated to Latvian folk costumes and the tradition of the Song and Dance Festival.

In April of 2019, Maruta Grasmane directed mitten knitting master classes in various Japanese cities - Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Kanazawa, as well as participated in the presentation of the Caito project Go Rural at the Embassy of LR in Japan and met with Japanese knitters and led knitting master classes at the 3-day event Hobby Show in Tokyo.

In 2023, from September 8 to December 21 in Bratislava, Slovakia, the exhibition of Latvian folk costumes "Latvia in national costumes” took place at the Center for Traditional Culture (Centrum pre tradicionalú ľudovou kulturu). The exhibition was opened with a speech by the Ambassador of Latvia in Slovakia, Guna Japiņa. The exhibition was organized by the Latvian National Cultural Center.