Tartu Toy Museum, Toy museum in Old Town, Tartu, Estonia.
Tartu Toy Museum is a museum in Old Town that displays over 5000 toys across multiple exhibition spaces. The collection ranges from traditional Estonian playthings to international dolls and puppets used in local film productions.
The museum was founded in 1994 and initially operated from a basement at Toome Hill before relocating to Lutsu Street in 2003. Its creation marked the beginning of a dedicated effort to document toys and childhood across different periods.
The museum shows how toys shaped childhood across different times and how children grew up in Estonia. Visitors see dolls and playthings from the region alongside international pieces, revealing how similar children's play was everywhere.
The museum has limited opening hours during the week, so it helps to check times in advance before visiting. Children will find plenty of interactive areas here, so plan extra time for exploring the different sections.
One section of the museum presents a reconstructed medieval house discovered during archaeological excavations. This recreation takes visitors back to how people lived and worked in this area during the Middle Ages.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
