What to do and see in Harju County, Harju County: The Best History Museums

An old barn building has been restored on the lands of Rehemetsa, one of the oldest farms of Metsanurme. The ground floor fireplace room and the barn kiln have undergone renovation and the windows and shingle roof have been renewed. The development of the first floor into a museum of local history will be completed in the 2009/2010 season. Today there is only an outdoor exposition of historical agricultural tools, the barn building itself and the village swing there. There is also a touch-screen computer of the Green Way project (Green Way from Tallinn to Riga) in the Village Centre and WiFi wireless Internet in the area of the centre.

If you like history, mythology, jewellery and design, or are a serious scholar of phaleristics - be sure to plan a visit to the Tallinn Museum of Orders of Knighthood. Among our most prized possessions are decorations of the Orders of the Garter, the Golden Fleece, Malta, Black Eagle and the Legion of Honour. The museum introduces visitors to the history of various Orders of Chivalry by presenting their exquisite badges, stars and collars - true masterpieces of art and craftsmanship, often lavishly decorated with diamonds, rubies and emeralds. Many are of an immense historical value as they once belonged to emperors, princes and princesses, famous military commanders, presidents, and politicians. Highlights of the collection include the Order of the White Eagle which belonged to Russian Emperor Peter the Great, insignia of the Emperor of Ethiopia Haile Selassie and Britain’s Princess Mary’s star of the Order of the British Empire and many others.

The exhibition shows 60 objects which have been reconstructed on the basis of original Leonardo da Vinci sketches. Thanks to interactive exhibits,everyone can experience himself the mechanisms of these inventions that were centuries ahead of their time and an inspiration for contemporary engineering.

Within just a 15-minute drive from the center of Tallinn there is a delightful place – the Estonian Open Air Museum that invites you to see rural architecture and get acquainted with village life. The 14 farms of the museum show the visitor the life of families of different income and occupation in the 18th-20th centuries. As in anyreal village, there is a church, an inn, a school, a number of mills, a fire station, a village shop and net sheds by the sea. Although 74 buildings have been brought over so far, the museum is far from being completed; it is constantly changing and developing. You can have good time and also learn something at the Estonian Open Air Museum in any season!

The Estonian Film Museum was founded in the autumn of 2006, with the goal of documenting the history of Estonian film. The Film Museum has its own building (opened in 2017) in the park of Maarjamäe Palace. The exhibition "TAKE ONE" invites to take a closer look at the secret world of moving pictures, and are also given an opportunity to assume the role of a filmmaker.

Occupations, resistance, restoration, and freedom. These are the words that reflect the new permanent exhibition of Vabamu - The Museum of Occupations and Freedom. It is a compelling museum about the recent history of Estonians, human values, and the role that people and their choices play in maintaining freedom. The brand new and modern permanent exhibition of the museum offers activities and something to think about for visitors of all ages. We will take you on a journey through the recent history of Estonia that is filled with thrilling stories. At the exhibition, you will be accompanied by an e-guide, who can speak Estonian, English, Russian, Finnish, German, Spanish, and French. The e-guide will discuss the topics of the museum and provide detailed reading material about the exhibits. Between stories, you will hear authentic memories of victims, perpetrators, accomplices, freedom fighters, collaborators, rebels, etc. The museum is accessible for visitors with disabilities.

The Estonian History Museum´s renovated Maarjamäe Palace opened to mark the 100-year anniversary of the Republic of Estonia. The palace with its grand steps leading down to the sea shore was built in 1874 as a summer manor for the count Orlov-Davydov on the grounds of a former sugar factory. Later is operated as a restaurant and aviation school. During the soviet period it was used as communal apartments and in 1987 it was extended and became the History and Revolution Museum. Nowadays it is a part of Estonian History Museum. Maarjamäe Palace´s large scale exhibition "My Free Country" was opened in 2018. One can also find here the Childrens Republic - playful learning environment specifically designed for the children. There are temporary exhibitions, museum shop and a restaurant located in the palace. In former summer hall one can see Evald Okas´large mural "Friendship of Nations" (1987)- one of the few monumental paintings from Soviet periord survived in its original location.