A short walk from Kadriorg Palace, where Estonia's Foreign Art Collection is based, is KUMU (standing for Kunsti Muuseum - Art Museum), home to Estonia's National Collection.

The building, designed by Finnish architect Pekka Vapaavuori, is almost a work of art in itself. The modern design blends in well with its surroundings and does not seem out of place in an area that includes a number of older, more traditional buildings. The building seems to spring naturally from the ground, there is a very organic feel to it and looking at pictures of the design it appears as if care has been taken to integrate the building materials i.e. glass/concrete etc.. with the physical elements of the land around it. I would have liked to pursue this further by walking around the outside of the building but, sadly, the snow -beautiful as it was - made this impossible.

Inside the building reminded me, at times, of the Tate Modern in London with walkways looking over open spaces and a central hall from which the galleries led off. I liked the curving walkways and staircases, mirroring the curve of the building, the sense of space and also, particularly in the galleries, the sense of airiness.

The museum also includes an education centre and while we were there a number of groups of children were also being guided round. Looking for certain details in a picture, sitting discussing an exhibit, basically getting involved with art and communication.

The museum brochure indicates that it wishes to create a "congenial atmosphere" in which to show art, that it wishes to appeal to a wide range of people, whose interest in art spans from well versed to nascent. And that it can be a place where "diverse ideas emerge and develop". They certainly seem to have achieved the first, are doing all they can to promote the second and, I hope, will progress and expand the third.

Weizenbergi 34
Take tram 3 to Kadriorg then a 10 minutes or less walk
www.ekm.ee

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