The Museum of Photography will open the immersive exhibition “Colour Tickle” on 26 February 2026. Through installations and animations, the exhibition explores the intersections of visual perception, colour synthesis, and the history of photography.

Over the course of a year, the experiential “Colour Tickle” journey will unfold throughout the atmospheric vaulted halls and corridors of the former medieval prison that house the museum. Designed for visitors of all ages, the exhibition explains the principles of colour physics, human colour perception, and the history of colour photography through hands-on exhibits. Along the way, visitors can enter the Eye, move through colour synthesis, colorize photographs, navigate the labyrinth of Estonia’s oldest colour photographs, and engage in many other discoveries. The exhibition traces the major milestones in the history of colour photography, from the first colour photograph presented in 1861 to contemporary digital photography.

The exhibition invites visitors to explore its stories through a Q&A–based audio guide and insightful texts curated by Merilis Roosalu, senior curator of the photo collection at the Tallinn City Museum. The journey culminates on the second floor, where an emotionally resonant spatial installation by Annika Haas, curator at the Museum of Photography, reflects on the history of photography and explores the impact of colour.

Adding a touch of playfulness, the exhibition features humorous animations by animator and musician Kaspar Jancis, complemented by witty texts from Ilmar Tomusk.

The exhibition’s design and construction were brought to life by Motor OÜ, with soundscapes crafted by Kaspar Jancis on the basement floor and Maksim Adel on the second floor. Special solutions for the grid images were developed by Katrin Nigumann, while Sander Ott Eelmaa (Museum of Photography) handled digitalisation. The texts were polished by Klaire Kolmann and translated by Luisa Tõlkebüroo. Project management was led by Vahur Puik (Museum of Photography) and Maris Rosenthal (Tallinn City Museum).

The exhibition acknowledges the generous support and expertise of Joel Leis (Estonian History Museum), Arp Karm (Estonian National Museum), Mirja Ots (Vana-Võromaa Muuseum), and Krista Roosi.

The immersive exhibition “Colour Tickle” marks the beginning of a thematic year at the Museum of Photography dedicated to colour photography. The program will include lectures, artist talks, workshops, and a series of short exhibitions focusing on colour photography.

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A century-old colour photograph:

Johannes Paul Mihklimets (1889–1954). Haymaking near Eidapere or Vändra, 1910s–1920s. colour glass diapositive (Autochrome Lumière), 9 × 12 cm. Estonian History Museum, AM F 19636:2.