A. H. Tammsaare muuseum
The former home of the writer A. H. Tammsaare in Kadriorg, where his flat has been preserved; the museum is closed for a major renovation.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The A. H. Tammsaare House Museum is in Kadriorg, on Koidula street, in a historicist house of the summer-villa type built in the second half of the 19th century. The writer lived in this house from 1932 to 1940 and died here on 1 March 1940. The five-room flat on the second floor of the house is furnished in its original form, and it was here that Tammsaare wrote the works of his high period in the 1930s. The house’s veranda, with its decorative mouldings and coloured-glass windows, is a special attraction and reflects the luxury of the flats intended for summer residents.
The writer’s widow, Käthe Hansen, wished that their home could one day become a museum. The museum opened on the centenary of the writer’s birth, 30 January 1978. The house and the two outbuildings built next to it were surrounded in the period of the Republic of Estonia by a large garden, bounded by Koidula, Faehlmann and Köler streets; the owner of the building was the ship’s captain Hermann Soone.
In the second wing of the museum there is an interactive exhibition on Tammsaare’s life and creative legacy, which looks at the world through the eyes of the writer, through keywords: landscapes, cities, people and society. The collection contains more than 9,000 items, among them the writer’s death mask and violin, and a home archive of manuscripts, correspondence, documents and photographs. The museum is run by the Tallinn Literary Centre, which was established at the beginning of 2017.
From April 2026 the museum has been closed for a major renovation, and reopening is hoped for at the end of 2027. During the renovation, Tammsaare museum lessons take place temporarily at the Vilde and Mati Undi Museum.
Highlights
- Five-room flat of the writer on the second floor, in its original furnishings
- Historic summer-villa-type house with a veranda of decorative mouldings and coloured-glass windows
- Interactive exhibition on Tammsaare’s life and creative legacy
- More than 9,000 items, including the writer’s death mask and violin
- Audio guide on the museum’s website
Permanent exhibitions
- Tammsaare korter – The writer’s five-room flat on the second floor of the house is furnished in its original form; it was here that Tammsaare wrote the works of the high period of the 1930s.
- Interaktiivne väljapanek Tammsaare elust ja loomepärandist – In the second wing of the museum the world is viewed through Tammsaare’s eyes, through keywords: landscapes, cities, people and society.
- Founded
- 1978
- Operated by
- Tallinna Kirjanduskeskus
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €8 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €5Pupils, students and pensioners |
| Seniors | €5Pensioners at the reduced price. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freePersons with disabilities enter free. |
| Students & apprentices | €5Pupils and students at the reduced price. |
| Families | €12Up to two adults and their children up to 19 years old (inclusive), and holders of the Family Card and persons named on the card. |
| Combined ticket (A. H. Tammsaare, Eduard Vilde and Mati Undi museums) | €18Reduced combined ticket €12, family combined ticket €25. |
| Supporter ticket | €15 |
| Estonian-language tour | €25From five participants; tickets are added, and the Museum Card is not valid. |
| Foreign-language tour | €50 |
Free admission: On the first Sunday of each month the museums of the Tallinn Literary Centre are open free of charge from 11:00 to 17:00.
The prices are those of the Tallinn Literary Centre’s price list. Free admission for holders of a press card and staff members’ employment certificate, members of the Estonian Mother Tongue Teachers’ Society and of the Estonian History and Social Studies Teachers’ Society, persons with disabilities and persons who were repressed. Visitors can come to the literary centre’s museums with the Museum Card and the Tallinn Card.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: not available
- Elevator: not available
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The historic building imposes limits on movement: wheelchair users cannot enter the museum, since the house has no lift or ramps and the museum is on the second floor.
Kids & families
| Family ticket | €12 · Up to two adults and their children up to 19 years old (inclusive), and holders of the Family Card and persons named on the card. |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
Museum lessons for kindergartens, primary schools, basic schools and upper secondary schools; during the renovation these take place at the Vilde and Mati Undi Museum.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Koidula
From the city centre by tram no. 1 or 3, and by buses heading towards Pirita and Lasnamäe (stop Koidula).
By car
Parking available
Cars can park in the museum yard; the entrance is from Köler street.
Amenities & dining
The museum is closed for a major renovation; reopening is hoped for at the end of 2027.
Events & venue rental
The museum is closed for a major renovation; reopening is hoped for at the end of 2027.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes |
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The audio guide can be listened to on the museum’s website. Group bookings: mari@kirjanduskeskus.ee. During the renovation, Tammsaare museum lessons take place temporarily at the Vilde and Mati Undi Museum; the price of a lesson is €6 per pupil from ten participants. |