Exhibitions 

The Estonian National Museum in Tartu, with its 6000 square metres of exhibition space, is without much competition the biggest in Estonia. Though, it is not the size that matters. 

Most of the exhibition space is dedicated to the permanent exhibition Encounters, expanding upon Estonian cultural history and everyday life, stretching out on a timeline from the present day to the Ice Age.

The second biggest permanent exhibition is Echo of the Urals, providing insight into the lives of the different people speaking Finno-Ugric languages and inhabiting the northern parts of this corner of the world. The exhibition takes visitors through four different seasons, introducing people related to Estonians. 

Both of the permanent exhibitions can be fully explored in English and Russian. Translations to Finnish, Latvian, German and French are provided on text screens at the "Encounters". Please ask for a language card at the information desk. See the video for instructions below.


 

On March 22nd we opened the exhibition "Olev Subbi: Striving for Perfection" in the gallery and café. Olev Subbi (1930–2013) was one of the most remarkable painters in Estonian art in the second half of the 20^th century. 

The Estonian National Museum is celebrating the Year of the Book with a major cluster exhibition – "Do you know this story? 500 years of Estonian books" (opening April 25). As part of the exhibition, cozy reading corners are set up throughout the museum, a large book story panel the A-foyer, and on the other side of the building, in Section B, the exhibition "From loss to horizon" on exile literature opens on April 26.

Starting from May 25, the temporary exhibition hall will open up the fascinating world of the Estonian Swedes. The major exhibition at the Estonian National Museum in 2025, "Rannarootslased. Estlandssvenskar. Estonia-Swedes", explores the traditional material and spiritual culture of the coastal Swedes and traces the journey of Estonian Swedish culture from the 20th century to the present day.

In the Participation Hall, located within the permanent exhibition "Encounters", individuals, civic associations, and organizations that are not involved in museum work or exhibition curation on a daily basis can create and showcase their own exhibitions. Each year, we organize a competition to collect ideas for this purpose. From September 27, 2024, to January 15, 2025, the exhibition "Chiming Shadows. A Musical Sleepwalk with Alliksaar’s Poetry" will be open in the Participation Hall. In the film hall of the permanent exhibition "Encounters", the exhibition "Still Lifes on National Motifs. Jaanus Samma" can be explored until April 13, 2025.

People, civic associations, and groups that are not involved in museum work or exhibition curating on a daily basis can put together and display their exhibitions in the Do It Yourself hall, which is located in the permanent exhibition "Encounters". Every year, we have a competition to gather ideas, and the 2025 competition will be book-themed.

Smaller exhibitions can be found in the territory of Raadi Manor where the Estonian National Museum is located, as well as at the Heimtali Museum in Viljandimaa, which is a branch of the Estonian National Museum. Travelling and virtual exhibitions will be added to the programme in the future.