Estonian Nature Museum relaunches exhibition tender

The Estonian Nature Museum has launched a new tender worth nearly 2.81 million euros to find a contractor for its exhibitions after the first tender attracted no qualifying bids, ERR reported.

The contract covers design and construction of the museum’s new permanent exhibition and a separate exhibition for young children. The museum hopes to attract companies from Estonia and abroad with experience delivering similar projects, said acting director Egle Hecht.

Three bids were submitted in the first round, but none qualified. Hecht said some bidders, including international exhibition-design companies, had misunderstood the tender requirements and made errors in their submissions.

The permanent exhibition, titled “The Art of Coexistence”, was designed by a Dutch company following an international concept competition. It will explore relationships between people and nature in Estonia, including the role of microscopic life and the links between nature, culture and language.

The children’s exhibition will allow young visitors to touch, build, investigate and climb as they learn about nature. It is due to open in 2027 alongside a temporary exhibition about dangerous weather phenomena. The museum plans to open in full, including its permanent exhibition, in 2028.

The museum is moving into the Taru Nature House, where exhibition construction will begin once the building is complete. The deadline for bids is November 23. The project is funded through European Union cohesion policy funds and the Environmental Investment Centre’s environmental programme.