Come and join our Independence Day festivities on 24 February 2019 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Kiek in de Kök Fortificatons Museum!

The lions of the Estonian Coat of Arms will be gallivanting around the museum and are up to all kind of fun and mischief-making. You’ll have a chance to meet the three stout-hearted lions, learn the military marching step with all due pomp and circumstance, warm up next to the bonfires, join a guided tour or a workshop or a game, walk along the city wall while visiting four ancient towers and enjoy unparalleled views, and explore the Bastion passages independently. Oh, and a professional photographer will capture your image against the event backdrop upon your request!

Museum open at 8 a.m.

As the ceremony of hoisting the Estonian flag at the Pikk Hermann tower will take place at 7:34 in the Governor’s Garden next to the Toompea Castle and the museum entrances at the Kiek in de Kök artillery tower and the Maiden Tower (Neitsitorn) are just a couple of minutes walk from there, we’ll open the Kiek in de Kök Fortifications Museum at 8 a.m. already and at Neitsitorn you’ll be able to have the Breakfast of the Flag Hoisting Champions (MENU.pdf)
We’d recommend to book a table in advance by sending an e-mail to maiga.tamm(at)linnamuuseum.ee

At 9 a.m. we’ll open the café at the top floor of the Kiek in de Kök (Pop up cafe menu) artillery tower, so you’ll be able to reward yourself with more than just the 360 degrees epic views once you finish the climb.

Also starting from 9 a.m. and running throughout the day are many fun workshops and activities. Games and crafts in the towers: colour the three-lion-embellished flags, craft badges, and paint your face, play the scavenger hunt etc.

From 10 a.m. at the Commander’s Garden (Komandandi aed) you’ll be able to bask in the warmth of a bonfire eating pea soup and “having fingers in many pies” (Outdoor Cafe menu) devouring scrumptious sweet and savoury pastries.

At 2 p.m., when the military parade is over, we will not be done yet! The Estonian Defence League will join us in Komandandi aed to teach us fascinating and curious military steps and marching styles from many realms and eras. Attention! Eyes Front! Right Dress!

Special lion hunting guided tours in Estonian, English, and Russian. As lions are everywhere, we’ll give lions their due share of attention tracking them up high in the towers and deep underground.

Lion themed tours have been scheduled as follows:

At 9 a.m. starting from Neitsitorn: How the lions have defended the city. Tõnu Pedaru will take you through the defence and artillery towers and tell you some amazing stories. The tour is in Estonian.

At 10 a.m. starting from Kiek in de Kök: The Bastion passages. Julia Korneyeva will take you to the mysterious passages and tell you stories. The tour is in Russian.

At 1 p.m. starting from the foyer of Kiek in de Kök where you meet a lion who will escort you through the Bastion passages to meet your guide Kadi Pilt at the Carved Stone Museum. A Petrified Past: The Stone Lions and Other Stories. The tour is in English.

At 2 p.m. starting from Kiek in de Kök: A Journey to the Lion’s Den, Mysterious Passages. Toomas Abiline will fascinate you with his knowledge while leading you through the passages and Risto Paju will make you see the carved stones in a new way. The tour is in Estonian.

Do not forget that we have the event backdrop at the foyer of Kiek in de Kök, where our photographer will take brilliant photos of you and your friends and family and perhaps even the lions!

Admission: adults 7€, concessions 4.5€; family ticket 14€

Please note! In celebrating the Independence Day, the Tallinn City Museum Merchant house at Vene 17 will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, 24 February

Take a chance to visit the newly opened exhibition of Langebraun porcelain from the private collection of Priidu Nõmme.

During the celebration we’ll put the emphasis on the tableware decorated with the symbols of the State.