Saatse Museum

Who are the Russian Old Believers? How and when did they arrive in Estonia? Why did they settle in the Peipsi region, and what are their customs? Why have they grown onions this way for centuries? The Old Believers Museum in Kolkja is located on the Onion Route and tells visitors the story of the Peipsi Region's Russian Old Believers. The exhibition is in Estonian, English, and Russian and includes virtual reality, where you can experience the Old Believer prayer. We also offer hour-long guided tours in Estonian and Russian. There is an observation tower overlooking Lake Peipsi at the museum! Come and discover the world of the Old Believers in Kolkja!

The 19th-century Tartu Citizen's Home Museum is located in one of the most unique areas of Tartu's Old Town, close to St. John's Church. The museum is housed in a wooden building completed in the 1740s, making it one of the oldest surviving residential houses in Tartu. With its historical ambiance and meticulously restored interior, the building takes visitors back to the early 19th century, when Tartu was a vibrant city of wealthy citizens and craftsmen. At the museum, you can learn more about the daily lives of urban citizens in the 1830s. Various rooms, furnished in the German Biedermeier style typical of the era, can be seen. The cozy, authentic atmosphere offers an opportunity to experience the sights, sounds, and smells of everyday life in a 19th-century Tartu home. During the summer season, a small garden is open, where plants and flowers of the period thrive, offering a glimpse of what urban greenery might have looked like almost two centuries ago. It is possible to participate in guided, thematic tours and educational programs.

Theatre House, situated in Tartu Old Town, is a theatre inspired by a museum, forming a part of the Tartu Toy Museum. The Theatre House takes its inspiration from our childhood, the games we played, the dreams we had, and the fantasies we brought to life. The Theatre House stages plays, but you can also put on your own show, play games, make handicrafts, and discover what goes on behind the scenes in the theatre world. There is a children’s studio on the first floor, in which children’s groups can take part in theatre-themed programmes. Visitors find a museum, an automated puppet theatre, and several exciting theatre-themed exhibitions in the basement level.

Põltsamaa Castle has been an important site throughout the centuries and carries a distinguished history – founded in 1272 on the riverbank, it was the residence of Magnus, the King of Livonia, and later evolved into a magnificent Rococo palace. Wars and fires left the castle in ruins, but now it has come back to life and is waiting for you to visit! Today, the castle offers visitors plenty of excitement. First and foremost, it is worth climbing to the viewing platform of the seven-story castle tower, where a captivating view of the city unfolds in every season. The tower is crowned by a restored historical dome, which is unique in all of Estonia. The church, located within the complex, is built directly into the castle's fortification walls and tower, and is open daily during the summer. The convent and gatehouse feature a modern exhibition that tells the colorful story of the castle and the town of Põltsamaa. In the castle courtyard, craft workshops await, where you can watch the work of masters or purchase something interesting yourself. Culinary experiences are offered by the restaurant Oberpahlen, where history and excellent food come together. Discover Põltsamaa Castle – a place where history comes to life!

Värska Farm Museum is a unique place in Setomaa, offering comprehensive insight into the life of a wealthy Seto fortified farm in the 1920s. It is a great place to experience Seto culture, architecture, and traditions. The building complex includes a smoke sauna, a residential building, a clothing, dining and granary barn, an animal barn, a hay barn, a men's workshop, a threshing floor, a blacksmith's shop, and a pottery factory — you can get an overview of the entire Seto architecture. The museum also houses genuine Estonian farm animals. Various workshops are offered upon reservation, such as making sõir, bread making, and crocheting Seto lace, among others. The largest handicraft shop in Setomaa is open under the threshing floor! Come visit us!

Hellenurme Mill Museum in Southern Estonia is the last operational historical watermill in Estonia and one of the few examples of a water-powered mill as industrial heritage in the Nordic countries. Visiting the mill feels like a trip back in time. Visitors can see century-old equipment across four floors of the mill, from the turbine to the milling machines and millstones, which still grind rye into bread flour. In the bread house, the mill hostess offers guests traditional Estonian rye bread made on-site and shares stories that bring the everyday life of centuries past to life. The large mill building of Hellenurme Manor, built in 1880 in Tartu County, hides surprises at every step. In addition to the working mill, guests can enjoy workshops and meals in the bread house. It is possible to stay overnight in the freshly renovated mill chambers, which offer views of the river and lake. Visitors can admire the lake's beauty and the surrounding nature.Here, you can also enjoy cultural events and celebrate festive moments with friends, family, or colleagues.

The Tartu Song Celebration Museum is located in a 19th-century classicist building, where the organizer of the first Estonian Song Festival and founder of the national theater, the Vanemuine Society, operated. The first Estonian-language play, written by Lydia Koidula, premiered here. Koidula was a prominent female poet of the Estonian National Awakening, who thereby laid the foundation for the Estonian national theater. The museum offers an introduction to the Song Celebration tradition as well as the 150-year history and heritage of the Vanemuine Theater. Visitors can take part in interactive exhibitions, virtual reality experiences, workshops, and guided tours. The museum park is also open during opening hours.

The permanent exhibition of the Valga Museum presents the natural, historical and cultural history of Valga county and the city from ancient times to the present day. This is a lively and modern museum where you will never get bored! The photos displayed here show you the history (nature, time, and culture) of the city and county of Valga from ancient times to the present. The museum is also livened up by models, music, and wax figures. Valga Museum also organises educational programmes, museum lessons and creative workshops. Interesting facts: there is a wax figure of the first Estonian Olympic champion, Alfred Neuland, in the museum.Going to the museum is not a waste of time!