Olustvere mõis
One of the best-preserved manor complexes in Estonia: a tourist centre in the main house, the Voldemar Luht wooden horse collection and the Ilmar Tilgi taxidermy collection in the stable building, craft workshops and a park.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Olustvere Manor was probably founded at the end of the Livonian Order period, a few kilometres north of the old manor site (Papioru, Vanamõisa); the present location came later. In 1632 Valentin Schilling, the administrator of the Kolga and Kiiu manors, leased Olustvere and the surrounding villages. In 1742 the manor passed to the Fersen family. Hans Heinrich von Fersen commanded a Russian army corps in Warsaw in 1794, and in 1795 he was granted the title of count; the manor remained in the hands of the Fersens until 1918. After the land reform of 1919 the manor was leased to the Viljandi Estonian Farmers’ Society and to the Viljandi County government, which supported the Estonian Alexander School.
Today the main house holds the Olustvere tourist centre. The park was laid out in the mid-19th century, first as a landscape park in the French and later in the English style; it is attributed to G. Kuphaldt. The park has five spring-fed ponds, stone-edged dams, a wheel well and bridges with chains.
Highlights
- Voldemar Luht’s wooden horse collection
- Ilmar Tilgi’s collection of birds, fish and butterflies
- Collection of antique furniture gathered by Leonhard Martin Vene in the main house
- Craft workshops: glass, ceramics, textiles, forge
- Manor park with ponds and bridges
Permanent exhibitions
- Voldemar Luhti puuhobused ja Ilmar Tilgi topiste kogu – The stable building houses the permanent exhibition of wooden horses by Voldemar Luht (about 500 horses, about 50 of them outside), and the Ilmar Tilgi collection: about 150 bird species, 15 fish species and over 400 species of butterflies and insects.
- Leonhard Martin Vene antiikmööbli kogu – The main house displays antique furniture collected by Leonhard Martin Vene, designed by the interior architect Leila Pärtelpoeg.
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €5 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €3Pupils and pensioners |
| Families | €8 |
| Main house | €2 |
| Stable building exhibitions | €2 |
| Spirit distillery | €2 |
| Wood house | €2 |
| Guided tour for an Estonian-speaking group | €30About 1.5 hours; to be booked two weeks in advance. |
| Guided tour for a foreign-language group | €40About 1.5 hours; to be booked two weeks in advance. |
The €5 ticket is valid for visiting the whole complex; individual buildings cost €2. Activities in the buildings are priced by arrangement.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
Great for kids & families
| Family ticket | €8 |
|---|
- Family tours & workshops
- Hands-on stations
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
Meals can be ordered in advance (lunches, dinners, receptions, pastries). The manor also has craft workshops and shops.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | The manor has a main house, a stable building, a spirit distillery and craft workshops (glass and ceramics, textiles, wood house, bakery, mead house, forge), as well as an area for horses and pets. Horse riding and pony rides are possible. |