The Estonian Maritime Museum has its main home in Fat Margaret, the squat cannon tower that guards the northern edge of Tallinn's Old Town by the old harbour gate. Inside the walls, which are up to five metres thick, a permanent exhibition opened in 2019 tells the story of shipping in and around Estonia, built around the remains of a medieval trading ship.
Estonian Maritime Museum at a glance
- Where: in Fat Margaret (Paks Margareeta) at the northern end of Pikk Street, next to the Great Coastal Gate; the museum's second site, the Seaplane Harbour, is on the coast to the north-west.
- Built: the tower went up between 1511 and 1530; the museum was founded in 1935 and has been in the tower since 1981.
- What it is today: the main building of one of Estonia's largest museums, with exhibitions on several floors and a roof terrace.
- Time needed: 1 to 1.5 hours for Fat Margaret; plan half a day if you add the Seaplane Harbour.
- Founded by: former sea captains and sailors, who set up the museum in 1935.
From cannon tower to maritime museum
Fat Margaret was built in the early 16th century, when Tallinn was rebuilding its gate system. It was the largest part of the city's fortifications, about 25 metres across and 20 metres high, with walls up to five metres thick. It protected the approach from the harbour and was also meant to impress anyone arriving by sea, which may explain how it got its nickname.
The museum itself had a turbulent start. It opened in 1935, was closed in 1940 after the Soviet occupation began, and its collection was moved to the Kiek in de Kök tower and later scattered among other museums. It was re-established in 1961, moved into Fat Margaret in 1981, and opened a second, much larger site in the seaplane hangars in 2012. After a full renovation, Fat Margaret reopened in November 2019 with its current exhibition.
What to look for
- The walls: look at the thickness of the window openings to understand how massive the tower is.
- The medieval ship: the centrepiece of the exhibition is a medieval trading vessel, shown with the objects found on board; the museum describes it as exceptionally well preserved.
- Merchant shipping through the ages: the displays follow Estonia-related trade by sea from the Middle Ages to the present day.
- The roof terrace: climb to the top for views over the Old Town rooftops, St Olaf's spire and the port.
- The Great Coastal Gate: the arched gateway beside the tower, the old entrance to the town from the harbour.
The Seaplane Harbour
The museum's second site is a short ride or a longer walk along the coast, in the historic seaplane hangars. Opened in 2012, it holds the submarine Lembit, built in England in the 1930s for the Estonian navy, a Short 184 seaplane, the Maasilinn shipwreck, the oldest found in Estonian waters, plus boats and sea mines. Outside, in the harbour, you can board the steam icebreaker Suur Tõll from 1914 and other museum ships. A combined visit makes a full maritime day out.
Tips for your visit
- Start in Fat Margaret if you only have an hour; head to the Seaplane Harbour if you have children or love ships and submarines.
- Go up to the roof terrace on a clear day; the view across the bay is the reward for the stairs.
- Look at the tower from outside the walls as well, from the harbour side, to see how it was meant to look to arriving ships.
- Combine the museum with a walk up Pikk Street towards Town Hall Square.
Nearby
- Three Sisters: three restored medieval merchants' houses on Pikk Street, right next to the tower.
- St Olaf's Church: once among the tallest buildings in the world, its spire still dominates the skyline; a few minutes' walk.
- Pikk Street: the old merchants' street linking the harbour with Toompea, lined with guild halls and grand houses.
- Town Hall Square: the centre of the Old Town, with the Gothic town hall and the old pharmacy.
See Tallinn with World City Trail
Our Tallinn scavenger hunt turns the old town into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around 2 hours, with about 38 minutes of walking, and includes places such as Viru Gate, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and Town Hall Square.
If you prefer a different format, there is also a self-guided walking tour of Tallinn and an outdoor escape game in the city.
Play the Tallinn scavenger hunt →
Take the self-guided walking tour of Tallinn →
Play the outdoor escape game in Tallinn →
Facts checked in October 2026.