TALLInn - In Your Pocket

68 What to see What to see 69
History museums
Estonian History Museum - Great Guild Hall (Eesti
Ajaloomuuseum - Suurgildi hoone) C-2, Pikk 17,
tel. (+372) 641 16 30, fax (+372) 644 34 46, post@
ajaloomuuseum.ee, www.ajaloomuuseum.ee. Housed
in the Great Guild Hall, this newly renovated museum's permanent
exhibition, entitled Spirit of Survival, covers 11,000
years of Estonia's history with interactive displays and text
in Estonian, English and Russian. The building itself, built
1407 - 1410, is significant as the home of Tallinn's union of
wealthy merchants and is a sight worth visiting in its own right.
As part of the renovations, several formal rooms and cellars
have now been opened to the public for the first time. QOpen
10:00 - 18:00. Closed Wed. Admission €5. J
Estonian History Museum - Maarjamäe Palace
(Maarjamäe Loss) F-6, Pirita tee 56, tel. (+372) 622
86 10, fax (+372) 644 34 46, post@ajaloomuuseum.
ee, www.ajaloomuuseum.ee. The branch of the Estonian
History Museum that covers the 19th and 20th centuries
makes its home in this landmark house on the road to
Pirita. Originally a summer house, this pseudo-Gothic 'palace'
housed the Dutch consulate, a posh hotel, future pilots and
the Soviet army, before being given to the History Museum
in 1975. Excellent exhibitions on the War for Independence
and the first Estonian Republic. QOpen 10:00 - 17:00. Closed
Mon, Tue. Admission €3.
Estonian War Museum - General Laidoner Museum
(Eesti Sõjamuuseum) Mõisa tee 1, Viimsi, tel. (+372)
621 74 10, info@esm.ee, www.esm.ee. Housed in Viimsi
Manor, the former home of Johan Laidoner who was perhaps
the most influential war hero in Estonian history, the Estonian
War Museum is a great place to start if you'd like to learn
more about this country's history. Estonia has had troops
fighting on its soil from Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Poland,
Russia and has even witnessed some Viking battles. Inside
you'll find all sorts of displays and info on the various wars
Estonia has been involved in, as well as exhibits on the role
the country's armed forces currently play in the world of
Occupation history
The Museum of Occupation and of Fight for
Freedom (Okupatsioonide Muuseum) D/E-1,
Toompea 8, tel. (+372) 668 02 50, muuseum@
okupatsioon.ee, www.okupatsioon.ee. In the period
from 1940 to 1991, Estonia was occupied briefly by Nazi
Germany and then for four and a half decades by the
USSR. The history of this difficult period comes to life in
this modern museum on the edge of Old Town. High-tech
audio-visual displays and art installations add life to the
museum’s artefacts and texts. QOpen 10:00 - 18:00.
Closed Mon. Admission €4. J
warfare. Getting there: Take bus nr 1A to Viimsi from the Viru
Centre's underground bus terminal (C-4) and get off at “Viimsi
vallamaja” stop (should be about a 25min ride). Walk back to
the main road and turn right, another 50m and it will be the
large pink building on your left. QOpen 11:00 - 18:00. Closed
Mon, Tue, Sun. Admission free. An in-depth and guided tour
can be had for groups of up to 10 people for a mere €6.40.
Kiek in de Kök (Peep into the Kitchen) D-1/2, Komandandi
2, tel. (+372) 644 66 86, kok@linnamuuseum.
ee, www.linnamuuseum.ee/kok. Now fully renovated, this
tower/museum is an excellent introduction to the history of
Tallinn's defences. Built 1475 - 1481, the 45m, six-storey
cannon tower played a key role in the Livonian War and still
has nine of Ivan IV's cannonballs embedded in its walls. The
top floor houses a café with some excellent views. And where
did the tower get its name? Check out the voyeur's view
from the windows for yourself as you climb upward. QOpen
10:30 - 18:00. Closed Mon. In November open Tue - Sun
10:00 - 17:30, closed Mon. Admission €4.50. Joint ticket with
the Bastion Tunnels €8.30. J
Tallinn City Museum (Linnamuuseum) C-3, Vene 17,
tel. (+372) 615 51 80, info@linnamuuseum.ee, www.
linnamuuseum.ee/linnamuuseum. By far, the most modern
and complete introduction to Tallinn. Appropriately built into
a 14th-century merchant house, the City Museum houses
elaborate displays, with English captions, demonstrating
various aspects of Tallinn life through the ages. QOpen
10:30 - 18:00. Closed Tue. In November open 10:00 - 17:30,
closed Tue. Admission €3.20. J
Speciality museums
Bank of Estonia Museum (Eesti Panga muuseum)
D-3, Estonia pst. 13, tel. (+372) 668 07 60, muuseum@
eestipank.ee, www.eestipank.info. The 20th century was
a turbulent one for Estonia's currencies. This modern museum
displays every kind of banknote used here from Tsarist roubles
to German occupation tender, and outlines the history of
Estonia's national bank itself, founded in 1919. There's also
an in-depth exhibit that helps the visitor understand the
role of money in society and information all about the Euro
and just how the Eurozone works. For anyone who's already
forgotten what they look like, those now-extinct Euroland currencies
(the Estonian Kroon included) are also showcased.
QOpen 12:00 - 17:00, Sat 11:00 - 16:00. Closed Mon, Sun.
Admission free. J
Estonian Maritime Museum (Meremuuseum)
A-3, Fat Margaret Tower, Pikk 70, tel. (+372) 641 14
08/(+372) 641 14 10, fax (+372) 641 14 14, info@
meremuuseum.ee, www.meremuuseum.ee. Centuries
of seafaring history, including models, charts and other artifacts,
are displayed in this multi-storied museum housed in
the 16th-century Fat Margaret cannon tower. Don't miss the
antique diving equipment or the view from the roof. QOpen
10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon, Tue. Admission €4. J
Estonian Museum of Natural History (Loodusmuuseum)
B-2, Lai 29a, tel. (+372) 641 17 39, muuseum@loodusmuuseum.ee,
www.loodusmuuseum.ee.
All your favourite taxidermied Estonian, and a few foreign,
animals (not to mention dried plants and mollusks) are on
display in this recently renovated three-storey museum
designed to introduce nature to youngsters. Don't miss
the museum's mascot, the biggest fish ever caught in the
Baltics. The museum is fairly small though and English info
is still a little bit lacking, but it's been fully modernised
and is still worth a look. Check out the facinating, live-
fish exhibits and special exhibitions while you're there.
QOpen 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon, Tue. Admission €3,
family ticket €6. J
Estonian Theatre & Music Museum (Eesti Teatri-
ja Muusikamuuseum) D-2, Müürivahe 12, tel. (+372)
644 64 07/(+372) 644 21 32, info@tmm.ee, www.tmm.
ee. Housed in the medieval Assawe tower, the museum hosts
a weird and wonderful collection of musical devices, from
ancient horns to old clavicords. Splurge another €7 to get
them to crank up a the curious mechanical music machines.
Theatre is covered very minimally and text is mostly in Estonian.
QOpen 10:00 - 18:00. Closed Mon, Tue, Sun. Archives
open Tue-Fri 10:00 - 17:00. Closed Mon, Sat - Sun. Admission
€3. English language tour available for €15. J
Kalev Marzipan Room C-2, Pikk 16, tel. (+372) 646
41 92, www.kalev.ee. Estonia's famous candy factory
operates a tiny museum in the Old Town building where
the company started back in the 19th century. There isn't
too much text, but visitors can get a look at the intricate,
hand-painted marzipan creations. QOpen 10:00 - 19:00.
Admission free. J
Museum of Estonian Photography (Fotomuuseum)
C-2, City Prison, Raekoja 4/6, tel. (+372) 644 87 67,
foto@linnamuuseum.ee, www.linnamuuseum.ee/fotomuuseum/.
Back in the 14th century this building behind the
Town Hall served as the town prison (as a visit to the cellar
will show). Now it houses an extensive exhibition on Estonian
photography, mainly devoted to the 1840 - 1940 period.
Drop in to peruse the old Tallinn photos, recreated studio and
antique cameras on display. QOpen 10:30 - 18:00. Closed
Wed. In November open Thu - Tue 10:00 - 17:30, closed Wed.
Admission €2. J
Tunnels under Tallinn
Tunnels under Tallinn D-1/2, Komandandi 2
(Kiek in de Kök), tel. (+372) 644 66 86, kok@
linnamuuseum.ee, www.linnamuuseum.ee/kok.
Legends, secrets and underground passages, the
tunnels aren’t just for rats any more, now you can tour
them, too! Built in the 17th-century by the Swedes to
help protect the city, these tunnels are a fascinating
relic of times past. Now having completed phase two
of the renovations, visitors can ride the underground
train into Tallinn’s future or take a walk into the depths
of the city’s past. Watch your head though some of the
passage ways can be a little ‘hard’ on you. Tours (by
arrangement) run from 10:30 - 18:00, in November
10:00 - 17:30, every day except Monday. For booking,
contact Kiek in de Kök tel. (+372) 644 66 86. Admission
€5.80, children €3.20. Joint ticket with the Kiek
in de Kök €8.30. J
www.linnamuuseum.eeTallinn
City Museum
CITY MUSEUM at 17, Vene Street
The Tallinn City Museum is housed in a medieval
merchant’s dwelling in the centre of the Old Town.
It got the European Museum Forum’s nomination in 2003.
The museum and its café are open:
Wed-Mon 10.30 am-6 pm
Remodelled MUSEUM KIEK IN DE KÖK and
BASTION PASSAGES at 2, Komandandi Road
PHOTO MUSEUM at 4/6 Raekoja Street,
CHILDREN’S MUSEUM at 16, Kotzebue Street
ST JOHN’S ALMSHOUSE at Väike-Pääsukese Street
(nearby Radisson Blu Hotel Tallinn)
HOUSE OF PETER I at 2, Mäekalda Street
MUSEUM MIIA-MILLA-MANDA at 21c, Koidula Street
Colourful theme museum for children
Writers’ museums with authentic interiors:
A. H. TAMMSAARE MUSEUM at 12a, Koidula Street
E. VILDE MUSEUM at 3, Roheline Aas
includes the following
branch museums:
Tallinn In Your Pocket tallinn.inyourpocket.com tallinn.inyourpocket.com
October - November 2012