KGB vangikongid
A branch of Vabamu in the basement of the former KGB pre-trial prison on Pagari Street: the permanent exhibition “Luku taga lood: KGB ja Eesti” (Stories Behind the Lock: KGB and Estonia) tells of the suffering and endurance of prisoners.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The building at Pagari 1 was originally built as an apartment block. During the Soviet occupation it became the notorious pre-trial prison of Soviet Estonia and the KGB headquarters in Estonia. In the cells on the basement floor people were held, interrogated and tortured. Today the building houses the Vabamu branch KGB vangikongid (KGB Prison Cells), which is intended first of all as a memorial to those who suffered there.
The new permanent exhibition “Luku taga lood: KGB ja Eesti” shows the role of the Pagari Street building in the KGB terror network across the Soviet Union, and opens up the nature of the organisation and the means used to secure convictions. The stories and memories of political prisoners speak of night interrogations, journeys between the pre-trial prison and the Patarei central prison, and of how prisoners communicated with each other between the cells in Morse code and supported one another.
Key themes
- Permanent exhibition “Luku taga lood: KGB ja Eesti” (in Estonian and English)
- Original prison cells on the basement floor
- Memories of political prisoners and night interrogations
- Prisoners communicating between cells in Morse code
- Combined ticket with Vabamu
Permanent exhibition
- Luku taga lood: KGB ja Eesti – The permanent exhibition tells of the cruelty of the NKVD and the KGB and of the suffering of the people who were held, tortured and murdered in the building at Pagari 1. It explains the role of the pre-trial prison in the KGB terror network, the nature of the organisation and the means used to secure convictions, and gives a voice to political prisoners: night interrogations, journeys between Pagari and the Patarei central prison, and courage, hope and solidarity. The exhibition is in Estonian and English.
- Operated by
- Vabamu
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €10 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €8Pensioners, students, pupils, holders of ISIC and IYTC cards and conscripts of the Republic of Estonia |
| Children & teens | €8free up to age 8 · Children up to 8 years of age (inclusive) enter free; pupils pay the reduced ticket price. |
| Seniors | €8Reduced ticket for pensioners. |
| Visitors with disabilities | freecompanion free · Children with disabilities (up to 16 years of age) and persons with profound disabilities (16 years and older) enter free with a companion. |
| Students & apprentices | €8Reduced ticket for pupils and students. |
| Groups (10+ people) | –From 10 members there is a 10% discount for the group; the group must be booked in advance at broneering@vabamu.ee or by telephone at +372 668 0250. |
| Families | €20Family ticket: parents with minor children. |
| Combined ticket Vabamu and KGB vangikongid – full price | €22 |
| Combined ticket Vabamu and KGB vangikongid – reduced price | €15 |
| Combined ticket Vabamu and KGB vangikongid – family ticket | €44 |
| Guided tour of KGB vangikongid in Estonian (guide fee) | €50Duration 60 minutes, up to 15 people. |
| Guided tour of KGB vangikongid in other languages (guide fee) | €60Duration 60 minutes, up to 15 people. |
| Joint tour of Vabamu and KGB vangikongid in Estonian (guide fee) | €90Duration 150 minutes, up to 15 people. |
| Joint tour of Vabamu and KGB vangikongid in other languages (guide fee) | €105Duration 150 minutes, up to 15 people. |
Free admission for holders of the Museum Card, Tallinn Card and ICOM membership cards, victims of repression, teachers, staff of Estonian museums, and journalists with an IFJ press card.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: not available
- Elevator: no information
- 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 KGB vangikongid museum cannot be visited by wheelchair: the entrance has a steep three-step staircase (steps about 18 cm high, with a metal handrail), and the prison cells are on the basement floor behind a narrow staircase, in small rooms. The nearest tram stop is Suure Rannavärava, about 400 metres away; the route runs through the Old Town on narrow pavements paved with cobblestones.
Kids & families
| Kids’ admission | free up to age 8 |
|---|---|
| Family ticket | €20 · Family ticket: parents with minor children. |
- Stroller-friendly: not available
Moving with a pushchair is difficult because of the staircase and the narrow rooms. Children up to 8 years of age enter free.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Suur Rannavärav · 400 m
The nearest are the Balti jaam bus stops and the Suure Rannavärava tram stop (trams no. 1 and 2).
By car
No on-site parking at the museum.
There is no parking place at the museum. Parking in the Old Town is paid; the nearest free car park is in Kalamaja, about a 15-minute walk away.
There is no bicycle rack in front of the museum; the nearest is in front of Pika Street 29a. A taxi can drive you to the junction of Pika and Pagari streets.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes · approx. 60 min |
|---|---|
| Good to know | The address is Pagari 1 / Pikk 59; a metal plate set in the ground in front of the entrance helps to recognise the place. Groups book their visit by e-mail at broneering@vabamu.ee. The guided tour of the KGB vangikongid lasts 60 minutes, the joint tour with Vabamu 150 minutes; a group may have up to 15 people. |
