Just outside Tartu is this sprawling outdoor museum set up on the grounds of what was the Ülenurme manor house. The museum explores every aspect of Estonian agriculture, from the old days of hand plows to modern horticulture. There are real, live animals (cow, goats, sheep, rabbits, chickens) and pony rides for little visitors. An extensive collection of old farm machinery (tractors and such) is lined up in rows in the courtyard.
From April 27, the museum features a new exhibition “Washing Machine Made of Beetroot”. It is a collaborative project between the Estonian Road Museum, Estonian Agricultural Museum and Tartu City Museum. It explores inventions, ingenuity, recycling and handiwork. The project is part of the European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024 main programme.
The exhibition highlights the remarkably diverse ingenuity and skills that people developed in the challenging circumstances of the Soviet Union. We hope that the creative do-it-yourself tradition serves as inspiration for solving the challenges caused by today’s overabundance.