The objective of museums is to organise collection, research, conservation, mediation and promotion of cultural heritage in order to ensure the continuance of the state and to shape the cultural identity of the nation.
In total, there are 235 museums in Estonia. 20% are owned by the state, 50% by local governments, 25% are private and 5% are sub-units of public law agencies. The Museums Act that provides a hierarchical categorisation for museum work regulates the activity of museums. In Estonia, there are 11 central museums, of which the Estonian History Museum, the Museum of Estonian Architecture, the Art Museum of Estonia, the Estonian Maritime Museum, the Estonian National Museum, the Estonian Sport Museum, the Estonian Theatre and Music Museum, the Estonian Health Museum and the Estonian Open Air Museum are under the government of the Ministry of Culture. In addition, the following speciality museums also belong to the area of government of the Ministry: Tartu Art Museum and the Estonian Museum of Applied Art and Design. The task of central museums is to carry out both general and more extensive work with respect to cultural heritage in their area of specialisation, as well as to coordinate and advise other museums in their field of activity. The collections of central museums provide a thorough overview of their area of specialisation. They also have to collect and mediate information concerning their subject field, to find solutions for issues related to collection, conservation and restoration. In total, there are 15 county museums - one in each county. County museums focus on the research of regional cultural space, and the collection, conservation and mediation of their respective cultural heritage. The tasks of the county museums are to run non-government local and speciality museums, consult them in their activity and work with collections. The restoration house "Kanut" provides conservation and restoration services for cultural heritage. "Kanut" also consults on conservation and restoration activity as well as applying scientific methods in its work. The collections of municipal and private museums in which the Ministry of Culture has a stake are also monitored. The activity of museums in terms of research and promotion of cultural heritage through exhibitions, booklets and other printed material has been very active. In total, 815.000 visits were paid to museums in the Ministry’s area of government, 430 exhibitions were arranged and 75 different publications were printed in 2003. Last year 1.750 different educational events (museum hours, lectures, thematic days etc.) aimed at a broad audience (42.000 participants) were organised, which is living proof that the educational work of museums is also considered very important. The Museum Act and the Regulation of the Minister of Culture "The order for taking stock and preserving museum pieces" regulate the activity of museums. In their activity, museums also proceed from the museum ethics code of the international organisation ICOM and other relevant legal acts.
MUSEUMS IN ESTONIA (within the government of the Ministry of Culture): Central museums: State museums: OTHER MUSEUMS: County museums: Foundations: State museums: Municipal museums: |
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