Kumu

Kumu is the headquarters of the Art Museum of Estonia, as well as the largest exhibition venue in Estonia. The museum opened on 17 February 2006. In 2008 Kumu received the European Museum of the Year Award. This is a noteworthy international recognition of Kumu’s aspiration to become a truly contemporary art museum, which is not just dedicated to collection, conservation and exposition, but is a multifunctional space for active mental activity, from educational programmes for small children to discussions about the nature and meaning of art in the modern world.

The construction of Kumu stretched on for a long period and, during this time, the concept of the museum also changed: the building that had initially been planned as a national gallery became a museum that functions on two levels: collections of Estonian art starting from the early 18th century are displayed on the third and fourth floors, and a modern art gallery is on the fifth floor. Art pre-dating World War II is exhibited on the third floor; the fourth floor houses an exhibition of works from the period of Soviet occupation. On Kumu’s fifth floor, there are exhibitions of contemporary art from Estonia and abroad. The contemporary art gallery is not just an exhibition venue but also an idea laboratory – a place where creativity has the freedom to experiment.