- Address: Valge 1, 10127 Tallinn, Estonia;
- Website: kumu.ekm.ee;
- Phone: +372 602 6000;
- Opening hours: Mon, Tues. - closed, Wednesday from 10:00 to 20:00; Thurs., Fri. from 10:00 to 18:00; Sat, Sun. from 10:00 to 18:00.
Art in Estonia has always been a special honor. Therefore, it is not surprising that in Tallinn there is more than one art museum, but as many as five. The main one is the KUMU museum - it adorns the old Kadriorg park and is a true architectural masterpiece. Here you can find the best examples of Estonian art from the 18th century to the present day.
History of the Estonian Art Museum
The date of foundation of the art museum in Estonia is November 17, 1919. Artistic exposition for a long time wandered from one building to another.
In the 30-ies of the twentieth century, there was even held a competition for the best architectural project for an art museum, but soon the war started did not give the institution a new house. Many valuable exhibits (about 3000) were lost in 1944 during shelling in Tallinn.
At the end of the war, the museum's collections are housed in the Kadriorg Palace. Every year it becomes more difficult to maintain a museum fund and hold exhibitions in a dilapidated building requiring renovation. The museum's management is gradually opening all new branches, transferring part of the expositions there:
- museum Niguliste (Niguliste 3) - historical church art is represented;
- Kadriorg Art Museum (Weizenbergi 37) - the art of Western Europe and Rossi XVI-XX centuries;
- Museum of Mikkel (Weizenbergi 28) - a collection of works of art from the personal collection of the outstanding Estonian collector Johannes Mikkel;
- Adamson-Eric Museum (Luhike-Yalg 3) is a solo exhibition of the Estonian modernist artist of the 20th century Adamson-Eric.
In 1991, the main museum has to leave the building of the Kadriorg Palace , temporarily it is located in the building of the Knighthood in Toompea, and in February 2006 the grand opening of the new building of the Estonian Art Museum KUMU at Weizenberg 34 / Valge 1.
The project of the innovative museum was created by the architect from Finland Pekke Vapaavuori, who managed to filigreely inscribe a huge massive structure of glass, copper, wood and dolomite into the refined scenic landscape of an old park. The building seems very elegant and almost weightless, although its scale is huge. In 2008, the Estonian Art Museum KUMU was awarded the title of "Museum of the Year" at the general European competition.
What to see?
The new building allowed the museum to significantly expand its capabilities. Today it is not only a place for storing and exhibiting collections, but also a space for the active development of culture, spirituality and art, both nationally and internationally.
The building has 7 floors:
- on two underground storages, where a total of about 60,000 exhibits of the museum fund are kept;
- on the ground floor there is a spacious hall, a large cafe and several auditoriums;
- on the second floor there are: a reception desk, an atrium, an educational center, a conference hall, a shop, a large hall for temporary exhibitions, a restaurant, a library;
- The next two floors are fully occupied by exhibition halls: permanent exhibitions are held in the wing "A", temporary "in the wing" B (exhibits of the pre-war period are on the third floor, and collections of the Soviet post-war era are on the fourth floor);
- on the fifth floor is the Gallery of Modern Art and the Department of Conservation and Restoration.
Most of the collections of the KUMU Art Museum are the legacy of Estonian culture, but an important place is occupied by international expositions. On average, 11-12 large temporary exhibitions take place here over the year. There are also two constants:
- "Golden Fund" (3rd floor) - works of unknown portrait painters of the 18th century, as well as famous artists: Johanna Koehler, Timothy Andreevich Neff, Konrad Mägi, Christian and Paul Raud brothers, a group of Estonian artists RYHM, sculptor August Weisenberg and others. ;
- " Conflicts and adaptations. Estonian art of the Soviet era " (4th floor) - exhibited works of classics of new art: Sire Runge, Jüri Palma, picture-figures in the form of cubes, video art of the 80-90s of the XX century.
In the Estonian Art Museum there are several unusual exhibits that particularly attract tourists. Among them, a futuristic picture with the head of Lenin, located on a large lilac balloon, from which rainbow circles are coming, as well as talking busts (in a separate room there are busts of famous Estonian and world figures, their voices are periodically included).
Information for tourists
- from April to September, the Estonian Art Museum is open every day, except Mondays;
- from October to March the museum operates daily, except Mondays and Tuesdays;
- on Thursdays KUMU is open from 10:00 to 20:00, on the remaining days from 10:00 to 18:00;
- cash desks do not work the last half hour before closing;
- the cost of tickets for visiting the three floors of the museum (3, 4 and 5): adult - € 8, child / student / pension - € 6, family (1 or 2 adults with children under 16 years old) - € 16;
- cost of tickets to visit the Gallery of Modern Art (5th floor): adult - € 6, child / student / pension - € 3, family - € 8;
- the museum does not work on public holidays, three hours earlier it closes on December 31, February 23, December 23 and June 22;
- free entrance to the museum on May 18 (day), May 20 (night), as well as certain categories of people (children under 8, disabled and their attendants, journalists, owners of the Tallinn Card and WFTGA Cultour Card);
- You can purchase complex tickets: all branches of the Estonian Art Museum (usual € 20, family € 40), KUMU Museum + Kadriorg Museum (usual € 12, family € 24), Mikkel Museum + Kadriorg Museum (usual € 8, family € 16), museum Niguliste + Adamson-Eric Museum (usual € 10, family € 20).
How to get there?
The Estonian Art Museum is located on the border of Lasnamäe and Kadriorg Park . You can get here in several ways:
- on foot (along the Narva Highway, moving from Viru Square to the end of Weizenberg Street, the distance is less than 3 km);
- tram number 1 (from the Baltic station) or number 3 (from the city center): go to the final stop "Kadriorg", then go through the park for 10 minutes;
- bus number 67, 68 (from the National Opera), 8, 19, 29, 35, 44 (from the Viru shopping center), № 5 (from the city center), №39 (from the bus station);
- by car: along Laagna Street or Narva Highway.