Tartu Art Museum

The main collection consists of works of art by Estonian and foreign artists, associated with Estonia, from the 18th century until now.

The most critical situation occurred in 1943 when, during a bombing raid the brick building at Lai 17, which at that time housed the collection, collapsed.

Today the building houses storage, administration, employees' offices, restoration workshops, library and archives.

As a guest curator Rael Artel worked with the Kumu Art Museum in Tallinn and the Art Museum in Lodz, Poland.According to the proposal of the competition committee the Minister of Culture Indrek Saar and Rael Artel signed an employment contract for a new term of office in 2016.

[4] Prior to her work at the museum she was Minister of Culture of the Republic of Estonia (1999–2002), member of Parliament (2002–2005) and rector of The Estonian Academy of Arts (2005–2015).

[5] Since 1988, the Tartu Art Museum's exhibitions have been held in the building known as the Leaning House, situated in Raekoja square, 18.

[6] The Leaning House got its name because over the years the building began to tilt to one side due to the different materials used in its foundations.

The legacy of the artistic association Pallas is an important part of the collection, including works by Nikolai Triik, Konrad Mägi, Ado Vabbe, Aleksander Vardi, Karin Luts and others.

In addition to artists from Pallas, the museum also houses works by the most important figures of 19th century Estonian art, such as Johann Köhler (National Awakening Period) and Julie Wilhelmine Hagen-Schwartz (Baltic Germans).