The country of Estonia is located in the northern part of Europe and is home to more than fifteen hundred islands. Estonia is full of a rich history and culture, especially from the era when it was part of the Soviet Union. With plenty of castles, churches and even forts built on hilltops, Estonia has a very distinct atmosphere that attracts most travelers. The capital of Estonia, Tallin, is known for some of the best museums and even the mighty Tallin TV Tower. If you want to know more about the history and culture of Estonia, you should visit some of these museums in estonia Which covers various aspects of the country’s past.
Top 10 Museums in Estonia
Here is a short guide to the best museums where you can visit and learn about the history, culture and life of the locals in Estonia.
1. Estonian National Museum
The Estonian National Museum is a window that allows you to get a glimpse into the life of the Estonian people. The museum gives visitors information about the basic values, beliefs and lifestyle of the Estonian people. There are two permanent exhibitions in this museum. The first one is called ‘Encounters’ and showcases the lives of ordinary Estonians as they have evolved and survived over the centuries, while the second one is called ‘The Echoes of Urai’ which reflects the lives of the Samoyedic and Finno-Ugric peoples. Displays traditional culture. ,
Place: Museu T2, 60532 Tartu, Estonia.
Time: The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm.
official website
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2. Estonian Maritime Museum
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Opened to the public in 1935 by former naval captains and sailors, the Estonian Maritime Museum is a very important institution involved in collecting, studying, preserving and presenting the history of Estonian maritime trade. The Maritime Museum is one of the largest and most popular museums in Estonia. Over the years, the museum has moved from one location to another, but the main exhibition of the museum has been housed in the 500-year-old Fat Margaret Tower since 1981. Another museum that deals with the maritime history of Estonia, called Seaplane Harbour, was opened in 2012.
Place: Pick 70, 10133 Tallin, Estonia.
Time: It is open from 10 am on all days of the week.
official website
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3. Seaplane Harbor
Opened in the year 2012, the Lenusdam Seaplane Harbor Museum is a modern military and maritime museum where you will also find some models of ships from the olden times. This museum is a high-tech display of the military history and maritime stories of Estonia. The exhibitions here contain the finest exhibits, including nearly two hundred huge exhibits. Right in the middle of the museum, you will see the Lembit submarine weighing approximately 600 tons, which was built by the British for the Estonian Navy in the year 1936. Lembit was used as a powerful tool by the Soviet allies during World War II. And remained in service for about seventy-five years. The most exciting are the simulators that give visitors the feeling of flying over Tallin and navigating over Tallin Bay.
Place: Vesilennuki 6, 10415 Tallin, Estonia.
Time: The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm.
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4. Estonian History Museum – Film Museum
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Established in the year 2006, the Estonian Film Museum was established with the aim of documenting and preserving Estonian film history. The museum displays costumes used by on-screen stars, film props, old photographs related to Estonian film history, scripts, old-time souvenirs, publications, screenplays and even cinema equipment that was used at that time. were used in. A visit to this museum is especially fun for those who are interested in the history of filmmaking and love seeing all the work that goes on behind the scenes.
Place: Pirita T 56, 12011 Tallin, Estonia.
Time: It is open from 10 am to 6 pm on all days of the week.
official website
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5. Estonian Healthcare Museum
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The Healthcare Museum of Estonia was established in 1924 and is located in the old town of Tallinn. In the museum, you will see permanent exhibits that depict human anatomy and health care as well as installations explaining the history of medicine in Estonia. A visit to this healthcare museum is a very educational experience, especially for young children as they can gain a deeper understanding of the human body and the importance of healthcare.
Place: Lai 30, 10133 Tallin, Estonia.
Time: It is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm.
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6. Wabamu Museum of Occupation and Freedom
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This Estonian museum covers aspects of the occupation, resistance, restoration and independence from the time when Estonia was part of the Soviet Union and the Nazis. The permanent installation consists of five distinct parts which are; Inhumanity, deportation, Soviet Estonia, restoration and independence. The best thing about this museum is that they have e-guides in multiple languages, including English, German, French, and Spanish, that take you through the entire museum, and explain different aspects of every part of the museum. Are. For children, they have a special exhibition where different storytelling sessions are organized for children of different age groups, this is one of the most fun experiences for kids in the museum.
Place: Tumpia 8, 10142 Tallin, Estonia.
Time: The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 11 am to 6 pm.
official website
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7. Rocca al Mare Open Air Museum
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Established in 1957, the Estonian Open Air Museum steps back in time to showcase rural life in Estonia as lived by locals from the 18th to the 20th century. The museum will take you back to a time when houses were covered with thatched roofs, historic windmills decorated the villages and to a time when the wooden chapel was the main place for community gatherings. Even the staff working in this open air museum wear costumes representing the dressing styles of the old times. You can buy some handicrafts and also taste the traditional foods served in the museum.
Place: Rocca al Mare Open Air Museum, Open Air Museum T12, 13521 Tallin.
Time: The museum is open from 10 am to 5 pm on all days of the week.
official website
8. Tartu Toy Museum
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Located in the old town of Tartu, the Tartu Toy Museum is a very unique museum and one of the most fun museums you will ever visit. As the name suggests, you’ll find a display of all the toys that Estonian children have been playing with for years. You will find some very interesting artist-made dolls, traditional Finno-Ugric toys and even souvenir dolls from different parts of the world. If you visit this museum with small children, they will have a great time as the museum also has an in-house playroom and workshop center where children can play with toys and participate in fun activities. ‘The Home of Theatre’, the theater building of the museum also houses a theater hall, a studio for children and a puppet museum.
Place: Luutsu 8, 51006 Tartu, Estonia.
Time: The museum is open from Wednesday to Sunday from 11 am to 6 pm.
official website
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9. Saaremaa Museum
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Established in the year 1865, Saaremaa Museum is one of the oldest and largest museums in Estonia. Being a country museum, Saaremaa Museum plays a major role in strengthening the identity of the Estonian island of Saaremaa, which has a very rich historical past, culture and beautiful landscapes. One of the main parts of the museum is the Episcopal Palace which was built during the 14th and 15th centuries, where many temporary exhibitions, plays and concerts are held. It is estimated that around 70,000 to 80,000 people visit the museum each year, making it one of the most popular museums in Estonia.
Place: Saaremaa Museum, Kuressaare, 93815.
Time: The museum is open from 10 am to 7 pm on all days of the week.
official website
10. Estonian History Museum – Great Guild Hall
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The Estonian History Museum exhibits the history of Estonia from prehistoric times to the turn of the 20th century. The Great Guild Hall itself is a stunning ancient masterpiece, with lion-headed knockers and a massive portico, the hall houses an exhibition titled ‘Power of the Elite’, referring to the power of guild members over the town council. Is. Another exhibit in the coin room of the museum is called ‘Making a Fast Buck’, which displays the different payment methods used in Estonia. The weapons room of the museum has simulators that mimic the sounds of weapons put on display in the museum. The most interesting part is the exhibition called ‘Road of History’, which displays the entire history of Estonia.
Place: Pik 16, 10123 Tallin, Estonia.
Time: It is open from 10 am to 6 pm on all days of the week.
official website
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When you visit the different island cities of Estonia, you will have the chance to learn about their culture, see medieval architecture, experience beautiful natural landscapes and sample the local cuisine. There are a lot of interesting installations and display objects in these museums in Estonia. When are you booking your tickets to Europe for a historical and cultural experience that you will remember for a lifetime?
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