Museum Night at Pärnu Museum, Koidula Museum, and Red Tower: The Night is for Books

The Night is for Books

During the Museum Night, a book exchange will take place in the yard of the Red Tower, in front of Pärnu Museum, and in the garden of Koidula Museum!
Bring along a book you're ready to part with and see if you can find a replacement for it.

To mark the Year of the Book, all museum in-house publications are at a discount!

At Pärnu Museum (Aida 3)

Four exhibits are on display at the museum

Pärnu Museum's permanent exhibition spans 11,000 years, from the Stone Age to modern times, offering an overview of the region's and Estonia's history through five rooms and genuine artifacts.

This spring and summer are the last chances to see the current form of the Pärnu Museum's permanent exhibition! Starting August 21, the museum will be closed for half a year to prepare a new permanent exhibition about the unique stories of the area!

The exhibition "The Weavers of Kullakörd. Pärnumaa Folk Costumes on their Way to the Grand Party" covers both the historical areas of Pärnumaa and those recently incorporated due to administrative reform. County-by-county, the museum's ethnographic collection displays clothing items; full sets made today, and some folk costume-based outfits designed for Pärnu choirs can also be seen.

The exhibition "Estonia Gives Thanks" showcases a large selection of Estonian state decorations. You can see various classes of the Order of the Cross of Liberty, Order of the White Star, Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana, Order of the National Coat of Arms, Order of the Eagle Cross, and numerous others.

The third temporary exhibition is displayed in the museum's club room (entrance from the foyer). The exhibition "Girls of the Free State. The Fates of Ribbon Bearers" tells about the subsequent lives of the 12 girls who, on the evening of February 23, 1918, when "Manifesto to the Peoples of Estonia" was publicly read for the first time from the balcony of Endla Society's house, distributed ribbons in blue, black, and white to the audience.

Nocturnal Flavors
On the right side of the museum house, a food truck by renowned chefs Herkki Ruubel and Sören Mäesalu (Toidutiim) offers delightful dishes.

Here, you can relax and take a break in between your museum journey.

At the Red Tower (Hommiku 11)

What was happening in the town of New-Pärnu 500 years ago when the first Estonian book appeared? How was life organized here, and what role did the Red Tower, the only medieval building still standing, play? Answers to these questions are provided by New-Pärnu's oldest city book (Denkelboeck).

In the oldest surviving structure of Pärnu, the medieval Red Tower, museum guides will present the story of the former prison and watchtower during the Museum Night, as well as one of the most important sources on the history of medieval New-Pärnu, taking visitors back to 16th century New-Pärnu. Additionally, on the attic floor of the tower, in a panorama cinema, an animated film about the last 15,000 years of the region's history can be viewed!

During Museum Night, you can spend 25 minutes visiting the Red Tower with a guide.

Possible Waiting Time

Note: The tower can accommodate only a limited number of visitors at a time! Entry is based on a live queue (10 people every 15 minutes). Be prepared for a long wait, and be ready to spend some pleasant time in the tower's yard.

Bring a folding chair or find an activity you enjoy while waiting. In the yard of the Red Tower, you'll find the exhibit "Church, Tavern, and Cabbage Patch", which introduces the daily life of a medieval New-Pärnu city dweller. In the yard, there's also a modern, life-sized copy of the medieval Mill Game, which can be played completely for free. We only ask that you return the game pieces to the boxes after finishing.

At Koidula Museum (Jannseni 37)

The Koidula Museum's permanent exhibition introduces the lives and activities of the two great minds of Estonia's awakening era – Johann Voldemar Jannsen and his daughter Lydia Koidula. The modern literature museum is located in the former Pärnu Ülejõe school building, which was the Jannsen family's home and newspaper editorial office.

On the second floor of the museum building, the traveling exhibition from the National Archives, "A Life Full of Colors", introducing the works of Eveline von Maydell, is on display.

In the museum garden, you can explore with children on the Lolla Discovery Trail.

More Excitement

During Museum Night, you'll find cozy reading nooks in the garden of Koidula Museum.

What is your favorite book or the most recent reading experience? In the garden of Koidula Museum, you can also offer reading recommendations in a fascinating way during Museum Night.

Additionally, the authors of Pärnu Pen Club will present a new collection "Legacy of Dignity" at Koidula Museum during Museum Night.
Everything begins with a book - let's write a joint poem!