Estonian Open Air Museum (Eesti Vabaõhumuuseum, EVM). Tallinn, Estonia

This picturesque museum just 15 minutes drive from the center of Tallinn reveals how families of different incomes and occupations lived in Estonia in the 18-20th centuries.

Its large territory embraces buildings that used to be in every village: a church, a tavern, a school, windmills, a shop, and a barn. Here, you can get an idea of the life and routine of both the poorest strata of the population and its wealthy representatives.

There is a collective farm apartment building where villagers’ apartments are furnished in the style of the 1960s, 1970s, 1990s and 2010s. Attention to detail is breathtaking to the point that you can find products of those times in the refrigerator and appropriate clothes in the closet. Kolkhoz apartment building won the Best Estonian Museum Exhibit award in 2021.

We recommend visiting the new Adventure Trail. It is especially appealing for families with children, as it passes through various curious sites. For example, you can visit the Kuie School, where children may learn how children in the 19th century studied or visit the Lau village store built in 1938. At the end of the trail, the Kolga farm barn is located. Here, you can meet various domestic animals and explore an interactive exhibition that compares life on the farm in the old days with modern consumer habits.

While walking the trail, children will be able to learn important life skills in a playful way. Afterwards, you can have lunch at the local tavern Kolu inn. If you would like to have a picnic, at the end of the Adventure Trail you can buy a “Shepherd’s Lunch Bag”: a special picnic set with sandwiches, fruit and a drink.

On September 15th, the museum will host Bread Day and the fair “Cuisines of Different Nations”. During the event, visitors will be able to explore the dishes of different nations and their path to Estonia as well as learn about the process of making bread. For a detailed program, visit the website: evm.ee

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Tallinn, Estonia