Pärnu Museum

The Pärnu Museum, located in the city center of Pärnu, is one of the most modern history museums in the Baltics.

Unfolding before you is a brand-new and profound permanent exhibition created by the museum team, inviting you to explore the story of Pärnu and Pärnu County in the context of Baltic Sea history, as well as at the pivotal moments of Estonian history.

The history of Pärnu is told through four unique narratives: ’The Story of Our Origins’, ’A Tale of Two Cities’, ’The Birth of the Nation-State’ and ’Pärnu, the Summer Capital of Estonia’. These stories tell about the emergence of human settlement and permanent habitation; of the medieval twin town and the Baroque fortress town of the Swedish period; of the 18th- and 19th-century trading and industrial town; of the formation of the Estonian language, ethos, literature, and journalism; of the birth of our premier spa resort; and of the founding of the independent republic.

Children can find new characters in the themed museum halls to pique their curiosity—Nosey and Raimond the Baltic herring.

As an innovative solution, we have created an open storage area where we showcase our museum collections that usually remain hidden from visitors’ view. The thematic display has been designed flexibly, allowing for changes and additions whenever needed.