The Museum of Coastal Folk collects items related to coastal life and activities – from fishing hooks to boats – everything that reflects life in a coastal farm. The collection includes approximately 13,000 objects.
You can explore the collections online at www.muis.ee.
If you would like to find out whether a specific item is part of the collection or wish to use materials such as objects, photographs or documents, please contact us here: teadus@rrm.ee.
Photo Collection
The museum’s photo collection includes overr 6,000 historical photographs.foto.
These images document the full cycle of life in coastal villages: fishing, boat building, farming, smuggling, and family life, both joyful and difficult moments. The collection also features coastal landscapes and harbour views.
A significant part of the archive reflects the history of the Kirov fishing collective.
Object Collection
Most items originate from the Viimsi peninsula and the coastal villages and islands of Northern Estonia.
The collection includes fishing equipment, farming tools, household items and everyday objects, including smuggling-related containers.
Many items are connected to the Kirov fishing collective.
Document Collection
The document archive includes contracts, promissory notes, financial records, letters and personal memoirs.
The lives of many people from coastal villages in Northern Estonia are documented from birth to death – including birth and confirmation certificates, property transactions, court documents, fines, seafarer’s passports, marriage certificates and funeral materials.
More detailed stories can be found in longer written accounts preserved in the collection.
Textile Collection
This collection includes traditional coastal clothing, home textiles and fishing nets.
About 80–100 years ago, decorative woven blankets, embroidered linens and handmade towels were common in coastal homes. The collection also includes traditional wool garments.
Audio-Visual Collection
The video archive contains historical footage from the Kirov fishing collective, including scenes of ships, harbour work, construction and public events.
The audio archive features recorded memories of fishermen, describing fishing practices, boat building, fishing gear and life in coastal communities across different time periods
Library
The museum’s library includes rare fishing-related publications from different periods, as well as books and magazines that were once part of everyday reading in coastal villages.
It also contains archival materials from the Kirov fishing collective.
In addition, the library holds modern reference materials related to maritime culture and museum work.
