Miiamilla Children’s Museum Ranks Among Europe’s Best Museums in 2026!
Participants in the panel “Play as an Act of Creative Rebellion”. From left: CERN Science Gateway in Switzerland, Young V&A in the United Kingdom, Leikki Museum in Finland and Children’s Museum in Estonia Miiamilla, together with EMYA jury member Agnes Aljas.
On 13 June, the European Museum Forum presented the 2026 European Museum of the Year Awards at the EMYA gala in Bilbao, Spain. This year, Children’s Museum Miiamilla, a branch of Tallinn City Museum, was among the 35 nominated museums.
Participants in the panel “Play as an Act of Creative Rebellion”. From left: CERN Science Gateway in Switzerland, Young V&A in the United Kingdom, Leikki Museum in Finland and Children’s Museum in Estonia Miiamilla, together with EMYA jury member Agnes Aljas.
Among the Estonian museums, the Tartu City Museum exhibition Meie Tartu (Our Tartu) received a Special Commendation from the jury for its community engagement. We congratulate our colleagues and are delighted to see Estonia’s museum sector represented so successfully!
Children’s Museum Miiamilla was recognised for introducing innovative approaches to the museum landscape. Its permanent exhibition was created together with children, incorporates visual elements drawn by children and invites families to explore the museum through imaginative and creative solutions.
The permanent exhibition features objects and toys that play an important role in children’s lives today, museum objects from cultural history collections and original items created in collaboration with children.
Since reopening in 2024, the museum has become highly popular as a place where many children have their first museum experience. Visitor demand has been so great that Miiamilla has become the first museum in Estonia where tickets must be purchased in advance.
While the museum’s indoor spaces focus on the life of a contemporary child, its outdoor exhibition presents the fascinating history of the main building of Kadriorg Children’s Park. The outdoor exhibition is free and open to everyone.
Motor was the museum’s creative partner in developing the exhibition and its design.
The strong position of Estonian museums, including Tallinn City Museum, on the European museum scene is reflected in their consecutive EMYA nominations and awards. In 2024, the Kalamaja Museum, also a branch of Tallinn City Museum, received the Silletto Prize as Europe’s best community museum.
The Creators of Children’s Museum Miiamilla’s Exhibition:
Jane Meremaa-Roos, Director of Children’s Museum Miiamilla:
“The children’s museum listens to children. It is a world in which the child guides the adult’s journey. A parent’s role is to slow down to the child’s pace and be fully present. This may be difficult at first, but in the long term, it can have a positive impact on a child’s development.”
Sireli Uusmaa, curator and developer of the exhibition’s educational methods:
“The central method of the exhibition is free play and learning through play. Empathy is the underlying theme connecting the activities and educational approaches in the different rooms: empathy towards oneself, in relationships with the people around us and towards our living environment.”
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