Tartu Art Museum

Tartu Art Museum (Estonian: Tartu Kunstimuuseum) is a state-owned museum of art located in Tartu, Estonia. It was founded in 1940 on a private initiative by the members of local art school Pallas. This is the largest art museum in Southern Estonia. The main collection consists of works of art by Estonian and foreign artists, associated with Estonia, from the 18th century until now. The collection includes around 23,000 items. The museum presents temporary exhibitions drawn from the museum's collection, and in cooperation with Estonian and foreign museums and galleries. Exhibitions are held in a historical building situated by the Town Hall Square of Tartu. History of the museum In 1918 the artistic association Pallas established the Higher Art School Pallas which later played a key role in local art education. Twenty years after the formation of the Pallas association, they decided to create a museum, and on November 17, 1940, the Municipality of Tartu signed a decree for the establishment of the art museum, which was located at Suurturg 3 (now – Raekoja Square, 3). In summer 1941 the State Ethnographic Museum (now – the Estonian National Museum) gave the museum its 20th century art collection.