Lennusadam, the Seaplane Harbour, is the main site of the Estonian Maritime Museum and the city’s most impressive museum space. The hangars were built in the early twentieth century as part of the tsarist naval fortress, and their huge thin-shell concrete domes now house ships, boats, mines and aircraft displayed as if floating in a dim, blue-lit sea. The centrepiece is a pre-war submarine you can walk through from bow to stern, and outside on the quay the steam icebreaker Suur Tõll can be boarded, from the captain’s cabin to the engine room. Simulators, including a yellow submarine ride, keep children busy. The Tiqets entry ticket covers the museum, the boats in the hangar and Suur Tõll, and the venue page also sells a combined ticket with Fat Margaret in the Old Town.
Getting there: Lennusadam is on the waterfront at Vesilennuki 6, about a twenty-minute walk from the Old Town through the Kalamaja district, or a short bus ride. The walk passes Patarei sea fortress and the Memorial for the Departed, the national memorial to Estonians who died abroad, close to the museum.
Inside: plan at least two hours, longer with children. Start under the domes with the submarine, which is cramped but fascinating, then move through the displays and simulators before heading outside to the icebreaker and the harbour of historic vessels. An audio tour is available for a small extra fee, and lockers are on site. The café-restaurant MARU is a good lunch stop.
When to go: the museum is closed on Mondays, opening Tuesday to Sunday. Weekends bring local families, so weekday mornings are calmest. The interior works in any weather, but Suur Tõll and the outdoor harbour are more pleasant on a dry day. If you also want Fat Margaret, the combined ticket is better value than buying both separately.
What to expect
The experience
A large museum in historic seaplane hangars, with a walk-through submarine, simulators and the icebreaker Suur Tõll on the quay.
Best time
Weekday mornings; any season, since most of it is indoors.
How long
Two to three hours.
Tips
It is closed Mondays; walk there through Kalamaja and consider the combined ticket with Fat Margaret.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Families and anyone who likes ships, engineering or spectacular spaces.
- Families
- The top family pick in Tallinn: the submarine, the simulators and the icebreaker.
- Couples
- Worth it for the architecture alone; follow it with lunch in Kalamaja.
- Pair with
- Fat Margaret, Telliskivi Creative City and the Kalamaja waterfront.
- Time needed
- Two to three hours.
Good questions
What is included in the Seaplane Harbour ticket?+
Entry to the hangar museum and its boats, plus boarding the icebreaker Suur Tõll; the audio tour costs a little extra.
When is the Seaplane Harbour closed?+
It is closed on Mondays and open Tuesday to Sunday; the box office closes 30 minutes before the museum.
How do I get there from the Old Town?+
Walk about twenty minutes north-west through Kalamaja, or take a short bus or taxi ride.
Can I combine it with Fat Margaret?+
Yes, a combined skip-the-line ticket covers both sites of the Estonian Maritime Museum.
Is it good for small children?+
Yes, it is one of the best family museums in the Baltics, though the submarine is narrow and has steps.