Author:
Silvia Luik

Permanent exhibition "Earth. Life. Story"

In the permanent exhibition, you can follow the evolution of the Earth's living and non-living nature from the birth of the Universe to today's natural diversity. The exhibits include around 8,000 artefacts from the world' s and Estonia's nature, collected over nearly 220 years of research: rocks, minerals, fossils, topiaries, preparations, skeletons, herbal leaves.

The permanent exhibition "Earth. Life. Story" is located in three exhibition halls: the Geology, Biodiversity and Ecology halls.

In the Geology Hall, rocks and fossils help you discover the history of our planet and its life. Meteorites, different types of rocks, glittering minerals and many fossils of animals that became extinct millions of years ago can be seen.

You can get all the answers to questions such as what are the planets made of? Why is water important? Why do volcanoes erupt? Why is the Earth the way it is? How do continents drift? Why does the world map look like this and has it always been like this? Who has lived here before us? What do the fossils tell us? When did Estonia form? Who has lived here before us and what traces have they left behind? Why did they all die out? How many forms of life have become extinct over time and why? How are rocks identified? Who are the crayfish and how big did they grow? Why is there an ice age? Why does Estonia look like this? Where do the rocks under our feet come from? What are mineral resources?

In the Biodiversity Hall, you can learn about the world's biodiversity. Here you will find a rich display of the world's animals, plants and fungi: DNA and cell models, tree branches explaining the evolution of life, and information about creatures we are mostly unaware exist.

You can get the answers to questions such as how many animal species are there in the world? Are birds and insects animals? Who is related to whom? How big is the microcosm? What are the oldest plants? What is a moss? Does a mushroom always wear a hat? What do our birds' songs sound like? Who are bacteria and are they all bad? What are archaea, protists, and why should we know about them? Who lives inside us? Who swims and lives in our waters? Who are alien species? Where do humans stand in the great tree of life? What do crustaceans and insects have in common? How are species identified nowadays?

In the Ecology Hall, you can explore natural communities, skeletons and exotic wildlife. Life exists only in networks - no species can live on its own. In the hall, you will discover natural ecosystems from different climate zones, such as tundra, taiga, desert, savannah, tropical rainforest. There is also a corner dedicated to living animals and an aquarium for Estonian fish. Among the skeletons, a 7-metre long humpback whale skeleton and a mammoth skull are the most remarkable.

Come and visit the exhibition!

The exhibition opened in 2016. Admission with a museum ticket.

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