Collection of the Latvian National Museum of Art, comprising more than fifty two thousands of objects, reflects the development of Latvian professional art, stressing the origins and growth of the national school of art in the context of world art processes.

The Museum collection is divided chronologically in two parts: the first involves the period from the late 18th century to the mid-20th century, the second one – the period from the mid-20th century to the present.

The Museum largest Latvian art collection presents a rather comprehensive overview on development of Latvian profesional art as well as of the most excellent works by particular artists and their creative careers in general. Works by Latvian artists based outside Latvia are also included. Several large memorial collections are displayed separately. They were acquired, taking over the properties of closed Teodors Zaļkalns’ and Gustavs Šķilters’ Memorial Museums, as well as in accord with the artist Boriss Bērziņš’ testament.

The collection of Latvian art is arranged not just to demonstrate particular artists’ work as completely as possible but also to give an idea of different kinds, genres, techniques, and materials of art. The artworks here are divided by kinds of art forming the specialized collections of painting, graphic arts and sculpture.

The Museum holds a weighty collection of Baltic art (late 17th century – end of 19th century).

Historically the LNMA has acquired not large but artistically highly valuable collection of foreign art which comprises the wastest collection of Russian art in the Baltics. It consists both of fine and applied arts examples.