Kiek in de Kök Museum and Bastion Tunnels — Attraction in Tallinn

If you're looking for one of the most unique and immersive historical experiences in Tallinn, don't miss the Kiek in de Kök Museum and Bastion Tunnels. This was one of the highlights of our day in Tallinn while visiting from a cruise, and it's a fantastic mix of above-ground towers and underground secrets.

The museum itself is set inside a massive 15th-century cannon tower — the name "Kiek in de Kök" means "peek into the kitchen," because guards could supposedly see into townspeople’s kitchens from the top! The tower is well-preserved and full of fascinating exhibits covering Tallinn’s medieval defenses, military history, and life in the city through the centuries. Each level takes you deeper into the city's past, literally and figuratively. The views from the top are also fantastic — you get a sweeping look at Old Town’s rooftops and church spires.

But the real highlight for us was the Bastion Tunnels tour. These underground passageways date back to the 1600s and were originally built to protect the city from invaders. Over the centuries, they were also used as bomb shelters during World War II, and later during the Soviet era. The tour is guided and well-paced, with lots of interesting stops and multimedia elements to help you visualize how the tunnels evolved over time. Walking through them is both eerie and captivating — it's like time-traveling through Estonia’s most turbulent moments.

We found the staff knowledgeable and friendly, and everything was well organized and easy to follow in English. It’s a good idea to book the tunnel tour in advance, as space is limited. Also, wear comfortable shoes — you’ll be climbing stairs in the tower and walking a bit in the tunnels.

Whether you’re into history, architecture, or just want to explore something completely different, this museum offers a perfect mix of education and adventure. Great for adults and curious teens — maybe a little spooky for younger kids, but nothing too intense.

Highly recommended for anyone wanting to go beyond the surface of Tallinn (literally and...

This is a huge museum complex, one of my favourites in Tallinn, though not so much for the exhibits, but for the buildings themselves and the atmosphere. I visted alone on a Tuesday afternoon in September and basically had the place to myself to take everything in for a few hours. For €8, you can visit the Bastion Tunnels and Carved Stone Museum (be sure to pre-download the NUMU app with the audio guide - I listened to the Estonian one, also available in English, Finnish and Russian). For €10, you can visit the 4 towers in the medieval town wall - The Kiek in de Kök tower, the Maiden’s Tower (Neitsitorn), the Stable Tower (Tallitorn), the Gate Tower (Väravatorn). Or for €14, you can get the combined ticket; however, I find it that the tunnels and stone museum are best for fall/winter season (as you're already dressed warm) and the towers/medieval walkway are best for spring/summer (as this is when the cafes will be open as well, there are 3: one at the top of the Kiek in de Kök tower, one at the top of the Maiden tower and Dannebrog cafe on the walkway between Maiden and Stable Towers). If you are in a rush and don't have an in-depth interest in the medieval era, you can just take in the view from the outside for free by walking from the Commandant's Garden to the Danish King's Garden and then down the Lühike Jalg steps - then you can make your way down Rüütli street to the Freedom Square, walk up the Mayer stairs and you'll be right back at the...

Really cool history museum located within the old city wall. It basically offers three things at once: a detailed overview of the city's history, a look inside of the old walls and a history of cafe culture within communist Tallinn, a combination that makes this museum very unique.

Although the other two things are quite self explanatory, the reason there is a part of the museum dedicated to the history of cafes is quite simple, one of the towers within the museum used to be the most popular cafe in Tallinn in the 80s. After many years of searching for the relics the museum could completely rebuild the cafe and its now on display in the exact room it used to stand. Next to that is another room used for explaining more of the cafe culture and how popular and scarce the cafes were in Tallinn, creating long queues. There was also some information on previous use of the wall and how there used to be artists living in it's towers.

I enjoyed walking on the wall and taking in the great views of the old city. The historical part of the museum was also very interesting and had many interactive features. It was very structured which made it easy to stay interested. I highly recommend visiting this museum, it's definitely one of the best...