Tartu City History Museums, Estonia
The best way to get acquainted with the history of the city of Tartu is by visiting the city’s 5 historical museums dedicated to different historical subjects and time periods. This time, we visited the Museum of KGB Prison Cells and the City Museum.
The Tartu City Museum housed in a historic building of the 18th century conveys the story of the city. The museum is currently hosting two exhibitions, which are part of the “Tartu – European Capital of Culture 2024” program.
The first, an outdoor exhibition in the nearby park, “Reincarnations of Downtown. Life Before the Cultural Centre” shares the history of the city area known today as Tartu Central Park. Visitors are welcome to get to know how the buildings were constructed and how the area developed.
The second exhibition called “Washing Machine Made of Beetroot: Resourcefulness in the City” speaks about people who lived during the Soviet era and how they managed in the times of crisis. For example, here you can discover a DIY darkroom and learn how clothes, furniture and other household items were self-made, repaired and reused.
The Museum of KGB Prison Cells is located in a historical building established in 1939 and occupied by the NKVD in 1940. A prison was set up on the basement floor, where inmates were held and interrogated before trial. The prison operated for 14 years; a museum opened here in 2001.
Today, you can explore the restored prison cells and part of the corridor and feel the depressing atmosphere of this place. The exhibition reveals the events of WWII, the crimes of the communist regime in Estonia and the conditions of detention in the “Grey House”, which was a nickname for this building when it used to host the Soviet security agency. There are also personal items of imprisoned people exhibited here. Tours are available in Estonian and English, but there are also Russian and Finnish texts in the exhibition rooms.
More information about Tartu museums and exhibitions: www.muuseum.tartu.ee
Follow social media to keep abreast of all the news:
www.facebook.com/KgbKongideMuuseum
www.facebook.com/TartuLinnamuuseum
Tartu, Estonia
