Description of the attraction
Põlva Peasantry Museum is a kind of open-air museum in southern Estonia. The museum is located in the village of Karilatsi, next to the old Tartu-Võru postal road. The territory of the Museum of the Peasantry is 5 hectares. The buildings of the former parish center, built at the end of the 19th century, have survived to this day. The museum was founded in the 1970s on the initiative and under the leadership of Kalju Kermas, with the help of students and teachers.
The main building of the museum is located in the premises of a former school, built in 1889. Due to the small number of students, the school was closed in 1971. Today you can see the old classroom, where the old lessons are held, the teacher's living room, the memorial room of the artist Wanda Juhansoo, and various exhibitions. The school complex also includes cowsheds, a barn and a smoke sauna. Later than the school itself, a tower-like residential building for teachers was built. Today this building houses the office of the museum.
In 1879, a barn was built in which grain was stored in case of famine. A year later, a wooden house was built, which originally housed the parish house and court, and later an almshouse.
In 1896, a new building of the rural municipality was built, which now houses the village library. Not far from this house is the village blacksmith's yard. In 1901, a windmill was built in the village of Prangli, which was transported to the territory of the museum in 1974.
In the museum park there are about 100 named trees planted by public and cultural figures. Also, the museum displays old agricultural machines, tools and equipment, as well as vehicles.
In total, there are about 25,000 exhibits in the Põlva Peasant Museum. The museum is constantly changing and renewing, with the aim of preserving the cultural heritage, as well as acquainting tourists with the history and culture of Estonia. You can walk around the museum on your own, or order a guide. The museum hosts various master classes, as well as all kinds of thematic events.
