Estonian National Museum to become public-law entity under draft bill

Estonia’s Ministry of Culture has sent a draft bill for consultation that would change the Estonian National Museum from a state institution into a public-law legal entity, ERR reported. The change would also give the museum a research and development role in the museum sector.

The restoration centre Kanut would be brought under the museum. The ministry says the changes would clarify responsibility for storing, preserving and digitising state-owned museum collections. However, the bill would not resolve the need for storage facilities for museum collections or improve working conditions at Kanut.

Museum director Laura Kipper said collections need storage space in both Tallinn and Tartu, and that development in Tartu could build on the museum’s existing storage facilities at Raadi. She said Kanut’s current premises in Tallinn’s Old Town were unsuitable and that the centre had been looking for new ones. At present, large objects such as a carriage have to be dismantled to move them into the building and reassembled afterwards, she said.