Although the magnificent architectural monument in the capital of Latvia, Riga, is named after August Mentzendorff, it was not built by this famous merchant. The Mentzendorff family acquired the luxurious mansion in the late 19th century, but it was built earlier, in 1695. For a long time, it was occupied by the oldest pharmacy in Riga. According to local legend, Abraham Kunze created his masterpiece, the legendary Riga balsam, right in this pharmacy. The house could preserve its original form, with expensive antique furniture and genuine artworks, even in the Soviet era. So today, it still keeps all its treasures, showing them to visitors as a branch of the Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation.

Three floors with rooms, a spacious attic, and a basement with cellars are open to tourists. The original interior decoration takes visitors to the Middle Ages when the house was inhabited by wealthy citizens. Ceiling and wall paintings of the 17th-18th centuries are of particular interest.

As a rule, a fascinating tour of the museum starts with the kitchen, the main room in the house. This room on the second floor often gathered all the family members. The central kitchen oven is still in operation today, heating the whole building. In the unique museum, travelers can not only get acquainted with the merchant's life but also literally live it for a couple of hours: try the famous pancakes prepared in the same oven according to old traditional recipes, drink from a silver cup.

From the kitchen, the tour moves smoothly into the glass workshop, where everyone can try the old craft and create a unique stained glass. Then climb the stairs to the second floor, to the festive hall, painted in the Rococo style. It displays such rare exhibits as musical instruments, a commode with a secret drawer, and a gilded wall clock dating from the 18th century. And finally, the third floor with the more modest owners' rooms that are, however, the warmest ones in the house, as they are located around the chimney pipe.