Vabamu

About the museum

Vabamu was founded by the Kistler-Ritso Eesti Sihtasutus (Kistler-Ritso Estonia Foundation), established in 1998 with the aim of researching Estonia's complicated recent history and preserving memories. The museum was made possible by a donation from the physician Olga Kistler-Ritso, who lived in the United States, and opened to visitors on 1 July 2003. The museum building is the first house in Estonia built specially as a museum. It was designed by the architects Siiri Vallner and Indrek Peil; its glass walls symbolise freedom and transparency, which were scarce during the years of occupation. The path to the museum leads through a small birch grove, which recalls the victims of the occupying powers.

The museum collection contains nearly 40,000 objects, photographs, letters and documents. Collecting began as early as 1999. The collection includes, for example, letters written on birch bark in Siberia, objects made in Gulag camps, and fragments from the activities of the resistance movement. Over the years the museum has held nearly a hundred temporary exhibitions, and it has had about half a million visitors.

In 2018 a new permanent exhibition was set up in the museum. The exhibition “Vabadusel ei ole piire” (Freedom Has No Borders) opened on 14 July 2018 and deals with occupations, resistance, recovery and freedom. The Vabamu branch is the museum KGB vangikongid (KGB Prison Cells) on Pagari Street in Tallinn Old Town, whose opening hours and tickets are shared with Vabamu.

Key themes

• Permanent exhibition “Vabadusel ei ole piire” (Freedom Has No Borders)
• Personal stories from the years of occupation and the restoration of independence
• E-guide in several languages and a separate e-guide for children
• Glass-walled museum building, the first house in Estonia built specially as a museum
• Objects made in Gulag camps and letters from Siberia in the collection
• Joint ticket with the KGB Prison Cells

Permanent exhibition

• Vabadusel ei ole piire – The permanent exhibition presents recent Estonian history during and after the occupations, and tells of the restoration of independence and the preservation of freedom through the life stories of different people.

Founded

2003

Operated by

Kistler-Ritso Eesti Sihtasutus

Admission & discounts

Free admission is also granted to repressed persons, teachers, employees of Estonian museums, holders of the museum card and Tallinn Card, members of ICOM, and journalists with a press card of the International Federation of Journalists. With a Club One card, individual visitors receive a discount of €1 on the standard ticket and €2 on the family ticket. Gift tickets can be bought at the museum.

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

Visitors can move between floors by lift, and there are ramps between the levels. Many rooms are small, so a wheelchair with a narrower frame is more suitable; a narrower wheelchair is available at the museum. The area for temporary exhibitions is only partly accessible by wheelchair. The accessible toilet is on the ground floor, and there is an accessible parking space beside the museum. For visually impaired visitors there is a guiding path for blind people, a tactile house plan and audio descriptions; hearing-impaired visitors can read the transcript of the e-guide, and groups may come with a sign-language interpreter.

Kids & families

Only partly suitable for kids

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Stroller-friendly
• Baby changing facilities

A separate e-guide has been created for children, and museum lessons are offered for schools. Visitors with pushchairs can use the lift and ramps; a light buggy can be borrowed at the ticket desk. The changing table is in the accessible toilet on the ground floor.

Getting there & parking

As there are few parking spaces at the museum, walking is recommended. The museum car park has a bicycle rack; rental scooters should be left on Kaarli Avenue.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

The museum offers rooms for organising events.

Plan your visit