Kalamaja muuseum

About the museum

The Kalamaja Museum is in Kalamaja, the oldest suburb of Tallinn, at 16 Kotzebue street, in a functionalist private house designed by the architect Herbert Johanson in 1932–1934. The mechanical engineering professor of Tallinn Technical University, Hans Einberg, lived there with his family. The building was damaged in the bombing of March 1944 and was rebuilt as a dwelling with kitchen-living rooms. Later the house housed a branch of the Tallinn City Museum, which had various names and was finally the Kalamaja branch of the children’s museum Miiamilla.

After a thorough renovation the house opened as the Kalamaja Museum on 24 September 2021. The museum was created together with the people of the district: the process began in spring 2018 with a survey among local residents, followed by brainstorming sessions and evenings of meeting, and dozens of former and present Kalamaja residents donated objects and shared memories. In 2024 the museum received the European Museum of the Year Award’s Silletto prize for community participation and inclusion.

The permanent exhibition “Küla keset linna. Lugusid Kalamajast” tells of the life of the district through six composite figures – the Kalamaja man, woman, child, ancestor, life artist and animal – and also opens up the stories of the houses here, from the cellar and stairwell to the garage and living room. The museum has a gallery for changing exhibitions, a doll house for young visitors, and a museum garden with a learning garden, which is free for visitors. The museum also takes its exhibitions and activities into the urban space.

Highlights

• Permanent exhibition “Küla keset linna. Lugusid Kalamajast” with six composite figures of Kalamaja
• Museum created together with the community, which received the Silletto prize in 2024
• Museum garden with a learning garden and greenhouse, free for visitors
• Doll house in the style of a Tallinn house for young visitors
• City walks along the streets of Kalamaja

Permanent exhibition

• Küla keset linna. Lugusid Kalamajast – The permanent exhibition tells of life in Kalamaja, from the Middle Ages to the present, through six composite figures, and opens the stories of the district’s houses from the cellar and stairwell to the garage and living room.

Founded

2021

Operated by

Tallinna Linnamuuseum

Admission & discounts

Free admission: On the first Sunday of each month admission is free (with advance registration); on International Museum Day, 18 May, admission is free for everyone.

The museum garden is free for visitors and open during the museum’s opening hours. On Tallinn Day (15 May) and at the Museum Night the entrance costs €1. On presentation of a document, holders of the Tallinn Card and the museum card, journalists while performing their work, Ukrainian war refugees and persons who were repressed also enter free, among others; free admission does not cover tours, workshops, lectures or other paid events.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: not available
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

It is not possible to move through the house by wheelchair. Nine stone steps lead to the main door; the garden-side entrance is usually locked. All floors are reached by stairs, and some doorways are high. Visitors with mobility difficulties can temporarily stop on the pavement in front of the museum. There are seats in the foyer, the shop and the exhibition halls. The museum can be visited with a trained guide dog.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Stroller-friendly: not available
• Baby changing facilities
• Playground / play area
• Kids’ birthday parties

In the museum’s family area young visitors can play in a doll house in the style of a Tallinn house; Kalamaja children’s tours and birthday parties are offered. It is not possible to move through the house with a pushchair: the pushchair can be left in the museum yard or, in case of rain, in the greenhouse in the garden. On the first-floor toilet there is a changing table and a potty for children.

Getting there & parking

It is about 280 metres from the tram stop and about 380 metres from the railway station.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop
• Coat check

The cloakroom is on the first floor to the right of the main door; large bags and outer clothing are asked to be left in the cloakroom. Toilets are on the first and basement floors. The museum shop sells, among other things, seed mixes.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties

The museum garden and rooms can be rented for parties and events.

Plan your visit