Kumu kunstimuuseum

About the museum

The idea of building a separate home for the Art Museum of Estonia (Eesti Kunstimuuseum) arose as early as the 1930s, and several architectural competitions were held for it at the time. The implementation of the winning design from 1936 was interrupted by the Second World War. After the restoration of independence, the construction of a new main building returned to the agenda; in 1993 an international architectural competition was held, which received 233 entries. It was won by the Finnish architect Pekka Vapaavuori. Construction began in 2002, and the museum opened to visitors on 18 February 2006.

The building lies on a limestone slope between Kadriorg Park and Lasnamäe. Vapaavuori gave it a circular form, to which the competition entry's title, “Circulos”, also refers. The main materials are dolomite, wood and copper. Despite its size, the building blends into the surrounding park.

Kumu is the main building of the Art Museum of Estonia and combines the tasks of the national gallery and the museum of contemporary art. The permanent exhibition runs floor by floor from older art to more recent art: on the second floor are the Baltic German pictorial heritage and early 20th-century Estonian art, on the third floor art of the Soviet period and the 1990s. The contemporary art gallery is on the fourth floor, and the main floor has a large hall where larger research-based and international exhibitions are shown. Eight to ten larger changing exhibitions are held each year.

Highlights

• Permanent exhibition “Identiteedimaastikud. Eesti kunst 1700–1945” (Identity Landscapes)
• Permanent exhibition “Konfliktid ja kohandumised. Nõukogude aja Eesti kunst 1940–1991” (Conflicts and Adaptations: Estonian Art of the Soviet Era)
• Circular building designed by Pekka Vapaavuori
• Contemporary art gallery on the fourth floor
• Large hall for major international exhibitions
• Museum shop and café

Permanent exhibitions

• Identiteedimaastikud. Eesti kunst 1700–1945 – The permanent exhibition presents older art against the background of Estonia's multi-ethnic history, in which Baltic German, Russian and Estonian traditions intertwine.
• Konfliktid ja kohandumised. Nõukogude aja Eesti kunst 1940–1991 – The permanent exhibition on the third floor shows the different trends that existed side by side in Estonian art during the Soviet era.

Founded

2006

Operated by

Eesti Kunstimuuseum

Admission & discounts

Free admission: 1 June (Children's Day) for under-18s; free admission is also granted to museum card holders, employees of Estonian museums, members of ICOM, ICOMOS, AICA and EstSEA, and journalists.

Tickets are valid for one year from the date of purchase and for one visit. For a reduced ticket, the document proving eligibility must be brought along.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description

All public areas are wheelchair-friendly, with lifts to the different floors and ramps. Wheelchairs can be borrowed from the information desk in the first-floor foyer. Accessible toilets are located in the foyers of the ground and first floors and in the lift corridor on the fourth floor. Accessible parking is on Mäekalda Street. A tactile plan of the second floor can be borrowed at the ticket desk. Visitors with guide dogs are asked to let the museum know in advance. Descriptive tours are available on the museum's website. Once a month, a quiet morning is held for visitors who are sensitive to sensory stimuli.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Kids’ birthday parties

The museum offers family mornings, mornings for small children, workshops, museum lessons and birthday programmes.

Getting there & parking

From the city centre it is about 35 minutes on foot or about 15 minutes by bicycle through Kadriorg Park.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop
• Coat check
• Lockers

The café is on the ground floor at the entrance from the Kadriorg side. Outerwear and large bags must be left in the self-service cloakroom or in lockers.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

The museum can host events in its rooms.

Plan your visit