The country of Estonia sits in the Northern part of Europe and is home to over fifteen hundred islands. Estonia is brimming with a rich history and culture, especially from the era when it was part of the Soviet Union. With lots of castles, churches and even fortresses that are nestled on hilltops, Estonia has a very distinct vibe that intrigues most travelers. Estonia’s capital city of Tallinn is known for having some of the best museums and even the mighty Tallinn TV Tower. If you are looking at knowing more about the history and culture of Estonia, you should head to some of the museums in Estonia that cover different aspects of the country’s past.
Top 10 Museums In Estonia
Here is a little guide to the best museums where you can know and learn about Estonia’s history, culture and the about the life of the locals.
1. Estonian National Museum
The Estonian National Museum is a window that allows you to peak into the lives of Estonia's people. The museum gives visitors an insight into the basic values, notions, and lifestyles of Estonians. There are two permanent exhibitions at this museum. The first one is called ‘Encounters’ and displays the lives of ordinary Estonian people who have evolved and lived through the ages while the second one is called ‘The Echoes of Urai’ which displays the traditional culture of the Samoyedic and the Finno-Ugric people.
Location: Muuseumi tee 2, 60532 Tartu, Estonia.
Timings: The museum remains open from 10 am to 6 pm from Tuesdays to Sundays.
Official website
Must Read: 17 Fascinating Things To Do In Estonia For An Extraordinary Trip
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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 that is involved in collecting, studying, preserving and presenting the history of Estonia's sea trade. The Maritime Museum is one of the largest and most popular museums of Estonia. Over the years, this museum has moved from place to place but the main exhibition of the museum stays put at the 500-year-old Fat Margaret Tower since 1981. Another museum that relates to Estonia's Maritime History called the Seaplane Harbour which was opened in 2012.
Location: Pikk 70, 10133 Tallinn, Estonia.
Timings: It remains open from 10 am on all days of the week.
Official website
Suggested Read: Estonia Travel Guide: Get Smitten By The Blessed European Land!
3. Lennusadam Seaplane Harbour
Opened in the year 2012, Lennusadam Seaplane Harbour museum is a modern military and maritime museum where you would even find some models of ships from the olden times. This museum is a high-tech display of military history and of Estonia’s maritime stories. The exhibitions here have the best displays, consisting of about two hundred huge exhibitions. Right in the center of the museum, you will see the Lembit submarine, weighing about 600 tonnes, 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 was in service for about seventy-five years. The most exciting being the simulators which give visitors a feeling of flying over Tallinn and navigating over the Tallinn Bay.
Location: Vesilennuki 6, 10415 Tallinn, Estonia.
Timings: The museum remains open from 10 am to 6 pm from Tuesdays to Sundays.
Official Website
4. Estonian Museum Of History- Film Museum
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Founded in the year 2006, the Estonian Film Museum was established with the aim of documenting and preserving the Estonian Film History. This museum displays costumes used by on-screen stars, film props, old photographs that relate to the Estonian film history, scripts, souvenirs from the olden times, publications, screenplays and even cinema equipment that was used back in the day. Visiting this museum is especially more fun for people who have an interest in the history of film-making and to those who like to see all the work that goes on, behind the scenes.
Location: Pirita tee 56, 12011 Tallinn, Estonia.
Timings: It remains open from 10 am to 6 pm on all days of the week.
Official website
Suggested Read: 11 Popular Estonia Beaches For A Refreshing Beach Vacation
5. Estonian Healthcare Museum
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Estonia’s Healthcare Museum was established in 1924 and is located in the Old Town of Tallinn. At the museum, you will see permanent displays that illustrate human anatomy and health care along with installations that explain the history of medicine in Estonia. A visit to this Healthcare museum is a very educational experience, especially for younger children as they can get a deeper understanding of the human body and the importance of healthcare.
Location: Lai 30, 10133 Tallinn, Estonia.
Timings: It remains open from 10 am to 6 pm from Tuesdays to Sundays.
Official website
6. Vabamu Museum Of Occupations And Freedom
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This Estonian museum covers the aspects of occupations, resistance, restoration and freedom from the times when Estonia was part of the Soviet Union and belonged to the Nazis. The permanent installation covers five different parts that are; inhumanity, exile, Soviet Estonia, restoration and freedom. The best part about this museum is that they have e-guides in lots of languages, including English, German, French, and Spanish, that take you through the entire museum, explaining about the different aspects of every part of the museum. For children, they have a special exhibition where different story-telling sessions are held for children belonging to different age groups, this is one of the most fun experiences for children in the museum.
Location: Toompea 8, 10142 Tallinn, Estonia.
Timings: The museum remains open from 11 am to 6 pm from Tuesdays to Sundays.
Official website
Suggested Read: Winter In Estonia: 11 Amazing Places That Will Leave You Awestruck In No Time!
7. Rocca Al Mare Open Air Museum
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Established in 1957, the Estonian Open Air Museum is all about going back in time to display the rural life of Estonia that the locals lead from the 18th to the 20th centuries. The museum will transport you back to the times where houses were covered with thatched roofs, historic windmills decorating villages and to a time when a wooden chapel was the main place for community gatherings. Even the staff working at this Open Air Museum is dressed in costumes representing the dressing styles of the olden times. You can buy some handicrafts and even taste the traditional foods served at the museum.
Location: Rocca Al Mare Open Air Museum, Vabaõhumuuseumi tee 12, 13521 Tallinn.
Timings: The museum remains open from 10 am to 5 pm on all days of the week.
Official website
8. Tartu Toy Museum
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Situated in the Old Town of Tartu, the Tartu Toy Museum is a very unique museum and one of the most fun museums you will come across. As the name already suggests, you will find a display of all the toys that the children of Estonia have been playing with, all through the years. You would find some very interesting artist-made dolls, traditional Finno-Ugric toys and even souvenir dolls from different parts of the world. If you happen to visit this museum with young children, they will be in for a treat as the museum also has an in-house playroom and workshop centers where kids can play with toys and participate in fun activities. ‘The Home of Theatre’, the museum’s theatre building also has a theatre hall, a studio for children and a puppet museum.
Location: Lutsu 8, 51006 Tartu, Estonia.
Timings: The museum remains open from 11 am to 6 pm from Wednesdays to Sundays.
Official website
Suggested Read: 12 Best Places To Visit In Estonia For Seeking The Ultimate Adventure!
9. Saaremaa Museum
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Founded in the year 1865, the Saaremaa Museum is one of the oldest and biggest Estonia museums. Being a country museum, the Saaremaa museum plays a major part in strengthening the identity of Saaremaa, the Estonian island which has a very rich historical past, culture and beautiful landscapes. One of the main parts of the museum is the Episcopal castle that was built during the 14th and the 15th centuries, where a lot of temporary exhibitions, plays, and concerts are held. The museum has an estimated footfall of about 70,000 to 80,000 people every year, making it one of the most popular museums of Estonia.
Location: Saaremaa Museum, Kuressaare, 93815.
Timings: The museum remains 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 is a display of the history of Estonia, right from the prehistoric times till the end of the 20th century. The Great Guild Hall is a stunning ancient masterpiece in itself, with lion-head knockers and a huge veranda, this hall has an exhibit called the ‘Power of the Elite', referring to the power of the guild's members over the Town Council. Another exhibition at the museum’s coin chamber is called ‘Making a Fast Buck’, which displays the different payment methods that were used in Estonia. The weapon chamber of the museum houses simulators which imitate the sounds of the weapons that are put on display at the museum. The most interesting part is the exhibit called ‘Road of History’, which displays the entire history of Estonia.
Location: Pikk 16, 10123 Tallinn, Estonia.
Timings: It remains open from 10 am to 6 pm on all days of the week.
Official website
Further Read: Experience Estonia Nightlife At Its Best By Visiting These 15 Places
When you visit the different island cities of Estonia, you will see get a chance to learn about their culture, look at the medieval architecture, experience the scenic natural landscapes and sample the local cuisine. There are lots of interesting installations and display pieces at these museums in Estonia. When are you booking your tickets to Europe for a historic and cultural experience that you will only remember for a lifetime?
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