In association with the Ministry of Health, Pauls Stradiņš Medicine History Museum has started work on launching the Children’s Museum as a contemporary centre for health literacy among school-age youth. Housed in the reconstructed extension of the existing museum building, the upcoming museum will open its doors late in 2027. Entitled ‘One Health’, the permanent exhibition of the Children’s Museum will examine health as an element uniting humans and ecosystems. 

The planned permanent exhibition of the Children’s Museum will speak about health as an element that unites humans and ecosystems into a single whole, highlighting empathy as a significant factor alongside science and future technologies. Responding to the social challenges of today, the Children’s Museum will be developed as a centre for health literacy among school-age youth, thus contributing to social sustainability. Speaking at the event, Director of the Medicine History Museum K. Vanags emphasised: 

"With the generation who will inhabit a world transformed by climate change in mind, the museum is seeking to create a space where children, their parents and schoolteachers can have a conversation about care as the foundation of a sustainable society, foster health literacy and internalize the principles of inclusivity." 

For the purposes of the project, the museum in association with the Ministry of Health has signed a contract for the reconstruction of the extension for the amount of EUR 650 317. The construction of the Children’s Museum is also supported by the MHM Support Foundation Society, attracting a donation from Swedbank AS to cover the expenses for the development of the construction plan. The team of architect Brigita Bula is expected to complete the construction plan by the end of 2023, while the actual building work is scheduled for late 2024. Concurrently, work continues on developing the content of the permanent exhibition of the Children’s Museum and attracting the required funding for it. 

There is no global shortage of children’s museums created by grownups therefore, the Museum of Medical History invites children to help with content development by developing a traveling children's exhibition prototype for school classes. 

By March 2024, more than 700 children's questions were received in the children's question collection campaign. Some of them have already been answered by the specialists of the Children's Clinical University Hospital. What are eyelashes and eyebrows for? Why do we immediately want to cry when we get upset? How does food turn into poop and poop? You can find answers to questions and various activities for parents to do with their children in the calendar created by the LSM.lv Children's content editorial team here (in Latvian).

Partners:

Ministry of Health
LSM
School "Domdaris"
Association "Collective"
Children's Clinical University Hospital
Medical Museum Support Fund Society

Supporters:
AS "Swedbank"

Informative contributors:
AS "Delfi"
AS "Diena"
White Label