2009 has been designated Year of the Museum in Estonia, with the aim of promoting the country’s almost 250 museums and showcasing their role in the preservation of cultural heritage.
“A lot of the museums will be hosting some fascinating and unique events during the year,” explained Laine Jänes, the Estonian Minister of Culture. “In addition to their usual exhibitions they will be putting on a wide range of events which people of all ages can get involved in. I hope the Year of the Museum succeeds in drawing people’s attention to culture heritage and the appreciation we should show for it.”
In Tallinn, for example, a new exhibition will be open in the Adamson-Eric museum until 15 March 2009 celebrating its 25th anniversary. Among the many attractions at KUMU, the national art museum, the exhibition “The Utopia of Freedom: Young Estonia Art in the 1950s and 1960s” will be open until 22 February, while an overview of the works of Estonian artists in Italy will be open until the beginning of April. Elsewhere, the Saaremaa museum is hosting the Tartu Toy Museum exhibition “A Suitcase Full of Childhood Stories” until the end of March.
Year of the Museum events will take place until November 2009 with the emphasis on a particular region from one season to the next. The focus until the end of February will be on Lääne-Viru, Ida-Viru and Jõgeva Counties, with the Eastern region passing on the baton to the Southern region at the Laiuse snow battle being waged on 28 February.
The many museums in Estonia house collections and exhibits of art, history and local culture, and there are also various themed museums.
The Year of the Museum is being held in Estonia as a project of the Estonian Museum Society and the Ministry of Culture. Its slogan translates as ‘a museum is a jewel’.
For further information about Estonian museums and the Year of the Museum see www.muuseum.ee
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