Tallinn Peoples Museum’s new exhibition reveals stories of the formation of a young Estonian Republic and its people. 

In the 1920s, peace returned to Estonia after the shock of two World Wars, the collapse of the Russian Empire and the achievement of gaining independence. But the shadow of previous difficulties remained: thousands of refugees and the unemployed tried to adapt to the challenges and economic changes of the new era. At the same time, amazing innovations also took place: the first pieces of new music were played on the radio, people moved into new apartment buildings, now called Tallinn Houses, people rode electric trams and flew on airplanes owned by Estonian companies. Tallinn in the 1920s was a city of sharp contrasts and high hopes.

In 2025, it will be one hundred years since the adoption of the Cultural Autonomy Act. It was this event that became the initial incentive for the creation of an exhibition introducing the different stories of the residents of Tallinn in the 1920s. Everyday life in the 1920s comes to life here through the stories of a dozen different characters, all of whom meet in the heart of the young capital. It was here, in the New Market, that current events were told, important innovations were introduced, and important meetings took place.

To convey the atmosphere of the era, the author of the exhibition design, Jekaterina Poltavets, drew inspiration from the Riigikogu building, which was built on Toompea Hill in the early 1920s – the same time that the stories presented in the exhibition also tell. The design consciously plays with geometric lines, recalling the rhythm and formal language of the interiors of that time. The color palette also elegantly refers to the dignified atmosphere of the parliament’s session hall, creating a bridge between the past and the present.

See you at the New Market!

• Tallinn. Vaade Viru t. ja Pärnu mnt. nurgale Viru väljaku poolt, TLM F 8432:9, Tallinna Linnamuuseum
• Tallinn, autobuss Kalevi spordiplatsi ees, TLM F 8369, Tallinna Linnamuuseum
• Tallinn, restoran Lindeni sisevaade, TLM F 10735:166, Tallinna Linnamuuseum
• AS “Laferme” tubakavabrik näitusel Tallinnas

Curators: Maaja Gundjajeva, Denis Jatsenko

Consultants: Toomas Abiline, Anu Kannike, Tõnu Pedaru, Aleksei Šiškin

Artist: Jekaterina Poltavets (Katline Design)

Implementation: Random Solutions OÜ

Sound design: Aleksandr Žedeljov

The exhibition is open from May 22th, 2025 to December 31st, 2026.

The creation of the exhibition was supported by the Cultural Endowment of Estonia.