Kiek in de Kök

About the museum

Kiek in de Kök is Tallinn’s first artillery tower; it was completed in its original form in 1483. The name by which it is known today is first mentioned in 1577, in the description of the town’s second siege. At the end of the 17th century a massive casemate roof was added to the tower, and since then it has been the tallest defensive tower in the town. The tower opened to visitors as a branch of the Tallinn City Museum on 20 July 1958; a thorough restoration took place in 1966–1968. From 1972 photo exhibitions were held in the basement, and the tower also became known as the “fototorn” (Photo Tower).

The museum complex includes, in addition to Kiek in de Kök, three further medieval defensive towers – Neitsitorn (Maiden Tower), Tallitorn and the Lühike jalg Gate Tower – and the defensive walkway of the town wall. The Maiden Tower is the only square ordinary tower in Tallinn; it was later used as a residence and as artists’ studios, and in the 1980s a successful café operated there. The permanent exhibitions in the tower tell of those times, and in the vaulted cellar the legend of the Dannebrog flag is presented.

The underground passages of the Ingeri and Rootsi bastions, built at the end of the 17th and the beginning of the 18th century, also belong to the museum; they were merged with it in 2007. The exhibition in the bastion passages opened in 2010, and the stone-carving museum is located there too. Since 2019 the passages and the stone-carving museum can also be visited without a guide, with an audio guide. The whole complex is more than 500 metres long.

Highlights

• Permanent exhibition “Kaitstud linn, kindel kants” (Protected Town, Secure Region) on six floors of the Kiek in de Kök tower
• Bastion passages with the exhibition “Ajarännak. Tallinn 1219–2219” (Journey Through Time)
• Stone-carving museum “Varemete linn” (Town of Ruins) with more than two hundred carved stones
• Maiden Tower exhibition “Neitsitorn kui kunstitempel” (The Maiden Tower as a Temple of Art) and restored café interior of the 1980s
• Defensive walkway on the town wall and views of the Old Town

Permanent exhibitions

• Kaitstud linn, kindel kants – The permanent exhibition on the six floors of the Kiek in de Kök tower tells how the people of Tallinn fortified and defended their town, and also deals with the role of the Brotherhood of the Blackheads (Mustpeade vennaskond) in the defence of the town.
• Ajarännak. Tallinn 1219–2219 (bastionikäikude ekspositsioon) – The exhibition in the underground bastion passages presents the development of Tallinn, the history of its fortifications and the most important military events, using multimedia and sound.
• Varemete linn (raidkivimuuseum) – The stone-carving museum in the bastion passage brings together more than two hundred carved stones and fragments, divided among four themed halls.
• Neitsitorn kui kunstitempel – The permanent exhibition of the Maiden Tower tells of the time when artists’ studios and homes were in the tower, and of the successful café of the 1980s; the vaulted cellar presents the story of the Dannebrog flag and Danish symbolism.

Operated by

Tallinna Linnamuuseum

Admission & discounts

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

The full ticket, €16, applies to the whole museum; the museum can also be visited in parts (tower ticket, passages ticket, Maiden Tower exhibitions ticket). On Tallinn Day (15 May) and at the Museum Night admission costs €1. On presentation of a document, holders of the Tallinn Card and the Museum Card, journalists performing their duties, Ukrainian war refugees and victims of repression, among others, enter free; free admission does not cover excursions, 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

Because of the historical character of the structures, wheelchair access to the museum is not possible. The steps are uneven in height in places and can be slippery. The museum may be visited with a guide dog.

Kids & families

Only partly suitable for kids

• Family tours & workshops

Museum lessons, excursions and orienteering games are offered for children and schools. The bastion passages are not recommended for children under 7.

Getting there & parking

From Vabaduse väljak you can reach the museum by the Mayer staircase (Mayeri trepp). From the Balti jaam side the easiest route is by the Lühike jalg staircase, or via Pika jalg and Komandandi aed. By car you can reach it via Falgi tee from Toompea Street.

Amenities & dining

• Café

The museum café is in the Maiden Tower: from October to April on Saturdays and Sundays 11:00–18:00 (on other days only by exception), and from May to September every day 11:00–18:00.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit