Literature Centre’s Museum 50!

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the Under and Tuglas Literature Centre.

Friedebert Tuglas gave his collections to the Estonian Academy of Sciences with the hope of having a museum-research centre in his post-war home in Nõmme. Friedebert and Elo Tuglas moved into the home of their exiled friends Artur Adson and Marie Under in the autumn of 1944.

Tuglas was a corresponding member of the Estonian Academy of Sciences since 1946. He remained there even after being expelled from the Writers’ Union, losing the opportunity to publish his work. He had the support of the Academy even after he left in April 1971. The museum was established by the Presidium of the Academy on 28 September 1971. The museum-research centre was established in the same autumn and was open to visitors by Tuglas’ 90th birthday in 1976. Now, the museum has existed under the wing of the Academy for half a century, first as a house museum named after him, then as part of the Under and Tuglas Literature Centre.

By now, the collections of the museum located in Väikese Illimar 12 in Nõmme have grown. In addition to the legacy of Tuglas and Under-Adson, the art collection from the Foundation for Estonian Arts and Letters and the collection of art and literary critic Paul Reets were added. Just before the pandemic, most of the collections were made available online.

The Under and Tuglas Literature Centre is now in the Academy of Sciences’ building in Toompea, Kohtu 6.