At the Tartu City History Museums' storage facility, visitors will have the chance to see a 14th-century recorder found in a cesspit unearthed at the site of what is now Ülikooli 15. This is only one of three known medieval recorders to be found in Estonia, and the only one that can still be played.

The Estonian Road Museum in Põlva County will be showcasing items that didn't make it into the Tartu 2024 "Washing Machine Made of Beetroot" exhibition, while visitors to Tallinn City Museum will be able to view a rare preserved medieval indoor water well.

"Collecting and preserving cultural heritage is a core function of museums," highlighted Estonian Museum Association (EMÜ) chair Kerttu Männiste. "94 percent of Estonians consider it important to preserve cultural heritage for future generations, and yet the activities and work involved in maintaining and studying these collections are seldom discussed publicly. Likewise widely unknown are the needs and challenges museums face in ensuring the preservation of the heritage stored in their facilities."

One of the goals of this weekend's efforts, she added, is to highlight aspects of the core work of museums that are typically hidden from view during regular museum visits and do not generate any revenue.

Regular ticket prices apply to tours being organized for Curiosity Day, and preregistration is required.

Curiosity Day is a presidential initiative first celebrated on November 17, 2022, with the goal of valuing curiosity as a foundation for lifelong learning.

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