KGB kongide muuseum
Permanent exhibition in the basement of the so-called grey house (“halli maja”) in Tartu, where the NKVD/KGB pre-trial prison was located, on Estonia’s post-war armed resistance and the crimes of the communist regime.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The museum is in the so-called grey house on Riia mägi (Riia Hill), where the NKVD and the KGB operated in the 1940s and 1950s. The cellar part open to visitors was a pre-trial prison for people arrested for political reasons. Some of the cells, punishment cells and a section of corridor have been restored to their original form.
The idea for the museum came from former members of the Sini-Must-Valge, a student resistance organisation active in Tartu, who discovered that their former prison cells stood empty. The owner of the house, Kalev Sõmermaa, whose father Oskar Sõmermaa died in Siberia as a result of Soviet repression, supported the idea. The Elmar Lehtmetsa fond (Elmar Lehtmets Fund) provided funding through the American Estonian Foundation. The museum opened on 12 October 2001.
The permanent exhibition gives an overview of the Second World War, Estonia’s post-war armed resistance, the crimes of the communist regime and life in the pre-trial prison. On display, among other things, are photographs and objects brought from Siberian labour camps, and materials on the forest brothers’ movement, secret resistance organisations and dissent. The updated exhibition uses sounds, video projections and period props.
Key themes
- Restored cells and punishment cells in the former pre-trial prison
- Interrogation room
- Photographs and objects from Siberian labour camps
- Materials on the forest brothers’ movement and the resistance
- Updated exhibition with sound and video
Permanent exhibition
- KGB kongide muuseumi püsinäitus – Exhibition on Estonia’s post-war armed resistance, the crimes of the communist regime and everyday life in the pre-trial prison; some of the cells have been restored to their original form.
- Founded
- 2001
- Operated by
- Tartu Linnaajaloo Muuseumid
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €9 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €6pupils, students and pensioners |
| Children & teens | €6free up to age 8 · Children up to 8 years old enter free; pupils of Tartu general and vocational schools also enter free as part of their lessons. |
| Seniors | €6 |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · People with disabilities up to 16 years old and people with profound disabilities enter free with a companion. |
| Students & apprentices | €6 |
| Groups | –Guide fee €40, €50 in English; museum lesson €6 per pupil. |
| Families | €22Up to two adults and their minor children |
| Ticket package (admission to all the Tartu Linnamuuseumi buildings) | €35Reduced price €24, family ticket €80 |
Free admission: 25 March (Day of Remembrance of the March Deportation), 18 May (International Museum Day), 14 June (Day of Mourning) and 31 October (birthday of the Tartu Linnamuuseum); if these fall on a Monday or Sunday, the museum is closed.
Exhibitions are free with the Museum Card. With the Family Card, a family ticket can be bought for the whole family named on the 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
Wheelchair users cannot visit because of the narrow and steep stairs in the building; there is no lift.
Kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 8 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | €22 · Up to two adults and their minor children |
- Stroller-friendly: not available
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Riiamäe
The nearest bus stops are Riiamäe (buses 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 11, 12 and 25) and Pauluse (buses 1, 2, 8, 10, 11 and 12).
By car
Parking available
You can park by car on Pepleri tänav: there are 90 minutes free in parking area B; on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays parking is free.
From the city centre it is about 700 metres on foot up Riia mägi; on the right you will see the five-storey grey house.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
- Spaces for rent
The seminar room of the KGB kongide muuseum can be rented.
Inquiries & detailsPlan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | A guided tour and a museum lesson must be booked in advance. |
