What to do and see in Saare County, Saare County: The Best Specialty Museums

This museum is to be found in the village of Joori, in the centre of the island of Saaremaa. Located on Madise farm, it has exhibitions and displays of farm architecture, tools and household items from times past. The small blacksmiths on the farm is the ideal place to watch the smithy at work, and the owner will happily help you create your very own lucky nail!

Mihkli Farm Museum was found on the 5th of February in 1959. Mihkli is a farm typical to West-Saaremaa, with many architectural sights as well. Most buildings lie in a circle around the yard, part of which is separated by a stick fence as flower garden. Farm is surrounded by old ash trees, leafy branches used to be cut from them for sheep's winter feed.Good to know:There was no need to search for items for this farm, in addition to a complete set of buildings there was a rich collection of everyday items.Almost all of the items were made by the inhabitants of this farm over 2 centuries.

Kuressaare Castle-Fortress is built in the 14th century. Today, the castle houses the Saaremaa Museum. Saaremaa Museum is one of the oldest (founded in 1865) and biggest museums in Estonia and is visited by 70 000-80 000 people every year. As a county museum its main function is to preserve and strengthen the identity of Saaremaa as a region with extraordinary nature, history and culture. The museum tries to exhibit the essence of the castle and tells its story to the whole world.

In the museum, you will see real meteor pieces and different amalgams from all over the world created by meteor explosions. You can also buy items made of Saaremaa limestone and dolomite.

The main hall and spacious foyers of the Cultural Centre are used for exhibitions of art, handicrafts and cultural history.

Ruhnu Museum was established in 1990 and the current permanent exhibition was opened in 1998. Here you can see about 300 items that the islanders used in their work and everyday life and also photos, texts about the island's unique history and nature on twelve displays. The rarest exhibits are the quartz tools of sealers which are about 8000 years old, the dragon-head weathervane of the wooden church (1644), a seal-gun made by the native Swedish inhabitants. A two-hundred-year old Korsi Farm is being renovated. It is rare due to its dwelling-house built without any foundation and a special type of (stooping) roof.

The Museum of Lyckholm is situated in the stables of Saare manor. It was restored in 1995 and gives you an overview of the history of Noarootsi. It focuses on Estonian first independence period between 1918 to 1940. It also displays a collection of old domestic- and farming tools, which emphasises the collaboration between Esonians, Swedes, Germans and Finns living in the area. Good to know: Have you seen fossils dated to silur period? Coe and have a look!

The Aavik Family house-museum is a branch of Saaremaa Museum in Kuressaare, Janestekula suburb, Vallimaa Street 7. The museum exhibits an overview of the life and activities of a linguist Johannes Aavik, known for modernising Estonian language, and a local cultural figure, Joosep Aavik. The museum first opened its doors on June 19th 1992 .Good to know:1896- 1926 a linguist Johannes Aavik resided in this house.Since 1961 until his death in 1989, Joosep Aavik, Estonian organist, choir and orchestra conductor and music critic, lived in the same house.