At the beginning of the 19th century, Latvia was a predominantly agrarian country. Only 7.3% of the population lived in cities, while approximately 93% lived and spent their daily lives in rural areas. The largest portion of the rural population consisted of Latvian peasants. The peasant class included farmers, livestock breeders, fishermen, and rural artisans. The life and work of peasants were connected to a specific territory – a homestead. For centuries, the homestead, or one-household farm, was the foundation of Latvian traditional way of life and values.

The Rural Homestead at the "Miķelis" Recreation Complex Museum is a single homestead that represents the traditional lifestyle and culture of peasants and rural artisans. Currently, the museum displays: a residential house, a barn, two granaries, a cart shed, a stable, a blacksmith's forge, a mill, and a bathhouse.