LSIWC Project Exhibition at the Craft Beer Bar “Kaķis Maisā” in Old Riga

This autumn, the Latvian Council of Science (LZP) has opened Science Street in Old Riga and launched the campaign “Science and Your Life: Notice and Understand!” to show how the work of Latvian researchers improves our daily lives — from health and language preservation to technology development and responsible resource use.

Inspired by this initiative, Dr. Laura Andže, researcher at the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry, proposed another stop for science — at the craft beer bar “Kaķis Maisā.” Together with our researchers Dr. Ulla Milbreta and Ph.D. Mārtiņš Andžs, Laura has set up a small but content-rich LSIWC project exhibition featuring photographs, macro images, and stories about how wood transforms into new materials — from cryogenic insulation for rocket fuel tanks to cosmetic ingredients, biopolymers, and medical solutions.

Why a beer bar? Because science lives where people live. An informal space creates closeness — there, a conversation about experiments is no longer academic but human. Over a cup of coffee or a glass of beer, science becomes part of the dialogue. QR codes next to the exhibits allow visitors to dive deeper whenever they wish.

The exhibition showcases stories and visualizations of wood chemistry projects, as well as microscopic images revealing the structure of cellulose fibers and the results of experiments. Alongside them are examples of innovation — a mycelium surfboard, new adhesive and composite solutions, and other ideas demonstrating how wood becomes a material of the future.

Come visit Kaķis Maisā (Torņa street 4, Old Riga) and explore the exhibition!