The permanent exhibition ‘Encounters’ opened along with the new building of the museum more than four years ago. Covering almost 4000 square metres, the exhibition provides an insight into life in Estonia, taking visitors on a trip back in time from the present day to the Stone Age. Admission to the exhibition is free of charge from 2 February-30 April 2021.

This is a three-month trial period to see how visitors take to the idea of tickets not being required for the permanent exhibition. The museum’s director Alar Karis feels that access to Estonian cultural history should be freely available to everyone at all times. “Being as big it is, ‘Encounters’ offers visitors of all ages a fantastic overview of our cultural history,” he said. “Since there’s so much to see, it’s worth visiting a few times. Free admission will make it much easier for people to do just that.”

The journey along the exhibition’s timeline brings visitors face to face with people who have lived on our lands at different times and gives them the chance to experience the everyday lives of these people first-hand. The free admission also covers 12 smaller themed exhibitions forming part of ‘Encounters’, including ‘Cities within a City’, ‘Rural Life and Rural Beauty’ and ‘The Language Brew’, as well as the DIY hall, in which a new exhibition entitled ‘Fast Fashion’ will open in March. The foyers in section B of the museum, and the exhibitions they hold, will likewise be free to visit.

In addition to ‘Encounters’, the museum’s second permanent exhibition ‘Echo of the Urals’ remains open, providing visitors with an introduction to Finno-Ugric Year at the museum. The temporary exhibition ‘Once upon a Time’ is open until the end of September.

The Estonian National Museum is open from 10:00-18:00 Wednesday-Sunday.