The Red Tower is a part of the medieval fortress of Pärnu, a prison tower built in the Southeastern corner of the city wall in the 15th century. It is the only defensive tower of the Hanseatic town of New-Pärnu that has been preserved. This granite tower got its name from the brick that used to line the inside and outside of the tower. In the 17th century, the tower had four storeys and a prison cell that was 6 metres deep. Three storeys have been preserved.

In the 19th century, the building was renovated into the town archives, but the building served a number of different purposes over the following century.

Affiliate of the Pärnu Museum is open in the Red tower, complementing the main exhibition of the museum with a modern panorama cinema and introducing the medieval town.