The museum’s collection is based on the culturally and historically significant private collection of Viktors Ķirps, the founder of Ate Museum, which was signed over to Kalncempju Parish Local History Museum in 1999. By then, the collection features more than 6500 items. Now the museum collection comprises 5720 items. The museum is unique with its exceptional assortment of agricultural machinery that dates back to Latvia’s first independence period, including horse-drawn machinery, dozens of internal combustion engines, artisan tools and other kinds of rural equipment.

The collection is illustrative of the history and culture of Kalncempju Parish and the surrounding area. The items are arranged in a way that tells a story about how Latvian farmers used to live and work here – about their daily routines and traditions, local political events and economic activity, local culture, education and sports, religious life in the area and the biographies and creative legacies of professional artists who came from these parts or used to live here.

The collection reflects the period from late 19th into the 20th century.