OPEN AIR MUSEUM

Name: OPEN AIR MUSEUM
Start: 2026-05-12
End: 2026-07-17
Location: Tallinn, Estonia

Code: 6f1762c043821fc4f704a9c26a4b87eb Copied

Estonia Culture Culture Fixed dates

About the project

OPEN AIR MUSEUM

📝 Detailed information

🏢 About the local organisation

The Estonian Open-Air Museum (Eesti Vabaohumuuseum) is a life-sized reconstruction of an 18th-19th century rural/ fishing village, which includes church, tavern, schoolhouse, several mills, a fire station, twelve farmyards and net sheds. Furthermore, it includes a recently opened 20th century Soviet kolkhoz apartment building. The site spans 72 hectares of land and along with the farmyards, old public buildings are arranged singularly and in groups in a way that represents an overview of Estonian vernacular architecture of the past two centuries from across Estonia. Besides the mission of preservation and presenting the history of Estonian country side, the museum keeps historical cultural traditions running various activities all year around, offering tours and educational programs for families, school children and guests from abroad. This is a very popular place to visit not only for tourist but very much for local people. The museum has thousands of exhibits related to rural life as it was centuries ago. This year they have an ambitious plan of revision and cleaning of those kept in the storage, and volunteers are invited to help out this important task. More about the Museum can be found here https://evm.ee/exhibition

💼 What the programme involves

The work involves cleaning the items on display at the museum with a vacuum cleaner and brushes. These items will be moved from a storage room to outdoor tents so that the floor there can be repaired and new storage shelves can be put up. The volunteers work is to clean these ethnographic items, which are quite dusty and black as they have not been accessed. They include, for example, carts, wooden utensils, children s beds, large wooden sieves, threshing machines and other larger items typical of Estonian rural life. The work takes place outdoors under tents on the territory of the Open-Air Museum. And there can be various seasonal jobs around museum large territory. Working hours will be from 10 to 16 with a lunch break from 13 to 14. Weekend is free. All necessary tools, gloves, protective masks and glasses will be provided. Volunteers will be working along side with local workers of the museum.

🏠 Accommodation on site

Volunteers will have have a simple accommodation in the rooms of administrative building. Beds are provided, but you are asked to bring your sleeping bag. Toilets and showers are available. Volunteers will have lunches in the museum tavern on work days, while breakfast and dinner have to be prepared by the participants themselves. Ingredients will be provided and volunteers can use kitchen at their accommodation place.

🍲 Food

📍 About the location

LocationThe museum is located 8 km to the west of Tallinn city center at Rocca al Mare district. It lies in the forest at the seashore. There is a regular public bus connection with the city centre which takes about 20 min. Tallinn is the capital of Estonia, the largest city of the country with a population of 450 000 inhabitants. Tallinn is know for its well preserved medieval Old Town https://www.visittallinn.ee/eng/visitor/see-do/neighbourhoods/old-town which makes it poupar destination for tourists, especially in summer time. Leisure timeBesides guided and free exploration of the museum and joining activities offered in this period you can enjoy spring in the Old Town of Tallinn or at the seaside. Volunteers will be given travel card to be used in public transport around Tallinn unlimited after their working hours. On 16.05 there is a Museums Night in Tallinn when you can visit for free a dozen of interesting museums. Visit to Tallinn Zoo is planned as well.

⚠️ Requirements

Please bring working clothes and suitable shoes. Tools, gloves, masks will be provided by the museum. You have to bring your sleeping bag and pillow. Your interest towards to theme of the museum is appreciated.Participation feeDue to the lack of financial support for the project the participation fee of 225 Euro is requested from volunteers to cover the costs of board and lodging, transport and administration. This fee has to be paid by bank transfer before the beginning of the camp.

Interested in this project? Create your account and apply online.