Musical Instruments Museum

The largest museum in Estonia with nearly 6,000 m² of exhibition space invites you to discover the everyday life of Estonians throughout history at the permanent exhibition ‘Encounters’ and to learn about the life of the Finno-Ugric peoples in the permanent exhibition ‘Echo of the Urals’. The museum experience is complemented by temporary exhibitions. There is a restaurant and a museum shop. The outdoor areas of the museum are perfect to have a rest and a picnic. There is also a romantic rotunda and a glass-roofed distillery on the shores of Lake Raadi.The Estonian National Museum offers workshops, educational programmes, and guided tours in 11 languages. The museum has a modern conference centre and venue for international events.

Siimusti Ceramics operates from the clay factory, which was founded in 1886 by Joosep Tiimann, a man born from a family of farmers. The location was suitable due to the clay deposits present here. At first the brick manufactury was created; afterwards they started producing oven pots and dishware.Nowadays you can get acquainted with the manufacturing process of ceramics: The pouring of clay into the mold and the firing and glazing processes. The end product can be bought onsite.

As the name suggests, it is a museum that introduces means of communication and laptops. The Communication and Laptop Museum opened its doors on June 10, 2023. In the communications museum section, there is a switchboard with cords, a telephone exchange from 1969; main distribution frame; telephone sets; payphones + payphone booths; overhead lines; mail baskets; communication instruments. Large Elion-Microlink-EMT-Telia signs and logos that used to be on the buildings. Also over several hundred mobile phones, among them old NMT mobile devices, antennas, and a 13 m cell phone mast. In terms of computers, there are a few desktop computers and twenty laptops.You can make calls inside the museum with a dial phone.

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.

Fairytale Alatskivi Castle awaits visitors in South Estonia, about 40 km from Tartu. In the castle, you travel back in time to the 19th century, get acquainted with the life of a noble family and the manor's daily routine, and meet the servants who worked here a hundred years ago, brought to life with wax figures in the basement. Castle guides share captivating stories, and visitors can create a personal souvenir in the ceramic workshop. Allocate at least 1.5 hours to explore the exhibition, which spans three floors. On the castle's third floor is the museum of composer Eduard Tubin, which presents the life and works of one of Estonia's most famous musicians. The former carriage-horse stable next to the castle offers insight into the manor's management and daily operations. Alatskivi Castle is part of the Onion Route, which can also be explored through the bright yellow National Geographic windows. Stroll in the castle park, enjoy nature on the Alatskivi hiking trail, stay in romantic castle suites, and taste local dishes at the castle restaurant.

Discover the heart of Estonian literature: the Oskar Luts Home Museum in Tartu! The museum is a quiet, charming place that takes you back in time and offers a glimpse into the life of one of Estonia's most beloved writers, Oskar Luts (1887–1953). The museum is located in a functionalist house built in the 20th century, where the author's personal belongings, furniture, manuscripts, and work desk have been preserved. The permanent exhibition reveals Luts's influence on literature, theatre, and film. The authentic atmosphere and warm stories offer a meaningful experience even for those just discovering his name. This is not just a museum, but a home where literature and life meet!

At the Metsavenna Farm located on the Estonian-Latvian border, you have a unique opportunity to search for forest brothers in hiding places during a forest brother hike, stay in a bunker, and listen to true stories.The experience continues at the Metsavenna eatery, where simple yet authentic food from the era is served: boiled potatoes with skins, butter, salt, and juice. The visit concludes with a musical experience – singing the song of the former Härmiku forest brothers' orchestra. Visiting Metsavenna Farm is an engaging and educational journey into the history of forest brotherhood.

The big beautiful prayer house in Varnja Village on the shores of Lake Peipus was funded and built by the congregation itself. Most of the many icons of the prayer house date back to the start of the 20th century.Visitors can only enter the church with a reservation.The cost of a single visit for a group starts from 50 euros. Visitors get an interesting overview of the life and history of the Old Believers from a local guide who is also an Old Believer. The excursion may last for about an hour - the visit and a warm experience are worth it!Reminder: Women are asked to enter the prayer house with a covered head.We ask you not to take photos or videos in the prayer house.