Estonian Open-Air Museum (Eesti Vabaõhumuuseum, EVM). Tallinn, Estonia
This picturesque museum, within just a 15-minute drive from the center of Tallinn, brings together Estonian history from different centuries. Wooden houses, windmills, a village school, an inn, and a church here seem to be frozen in time.
At the museum, you can literally walk through history: see how peasants lived in the 18th–20th centuries, peek into a collective farm building, where interiors from the 1960s, 1970s, 1990s, and 2010s have been meticulously recreated, or sit at a desk in a 19th-century school.
Interactive enthusiasts should definitely visit the Kolga farmstead, which comes to life with a variety of exciting rural and fun activities awaiting guests both in the courtyard and inside the premises.
Families with children are especially encouraged to take the Shepherd’s Adventure Trail, which leads directly to the Kolga Farm. Here, children can explore ancient houses, interact with animals in the petting yard and play.
Nearby, there is the picturesque summer café Islands, where you can take a break and enjoy the magnificent panoramic view of the Baltic Sea and the towers of Tallinn’s Old Town.
A special feature of the updated program is the exhibition dedicated to the early collective farm period of the 1950s. This important historical milestone is now presented across two venues. Be sure to stop by the Pulga Farm, where a new exhibition on this period has opened.
The final stop on the historical route is the Sepa Farm, where the atmosphere of 1952 has been recreated, exposing the life of a collective farm blacksmith and the disruption of the traditional Estonian village way of life.
After a long walk, head to the historic Kolu Inn. We recommend checking out the new vegan menu: hearty potato cookies with a warm salad of sweet peppers and greens, aromatic mushroom soup with fresh vegetables, and for dessert, a delicate berry-oat treat made with oat yogurt.
On summer weekends, folk dance performances are held here at 11:00 AM, and on June 23rd, the museum traditionally invites you to celebrate Midsummer’s Day with songs and bonfires by the sea.
Details, menu, and tickets: evm.ee
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Tallinn, Estonia
