ABOUT THE MUSEUM
The Museum of Photography, a branch of the Tallinn City Museum, is an interesting combination of rare buildings related to the administration of justice in the architectural history of Northern Europe and one of the most modern and accessible art forms of our time – photography.
OUR BUILDING – THE MEDIEVAL JAILHOUSE
The museum building is made up of two centuries-old buildings. The oldest of them is the Raekoja 6 – a former prison building (Odelie, Büttelei), which dates back to the early 14th century. The building was extensively rebuilt in 1441-1442, as can be seen from the building plans in the Tallinn City Archives. The old prison, however, remained within the new construction and for a long time part of it still bore the name ‘old prison’.
PERMANENT EXHIBITION
The permanent exhibition provides an overview of the history of Estonian photography from the 1840s to the beginning of the 20th century. Every year, a new permanent exhibition is prepared from the Photo Museum’s rich photo collection, which shows the beauty and uniqueness of Tallinn. Collections of great Estonian photo masters will also be introduced. In addition to the presented photo collections, the viewer can also get an overview of the development of cameras, get acquainted with the studio and camera equipment of the beginning of the 20th century.
COLLECTIONS
Our collection of photographs captures the changing image of the city and the lives of Tallinners. It consists of wide range of images of Tallinn from the 1860s onwards. The content of the collection can be found on the Estonian Museums’ Public Portal.
THEMED YEARS
The Photo Museum’s exhibitions focus on a specific theme each year.
GALLERY “SEEK”
During the summer season, the Photo Museum exhibitions are also held in the SEEK Gallery (on the side of Rävala street).
CHANGING EXHIBITIONS
PHOTO EXHIBITION “GENDERED LENS”
The exhibition Gendered Lens features nudes and portraits with the body at the centre.