Cultural Heritage & Conservation

The aim of the Cultural Heritage and Conservation programme is to provide knowledge and the necessary practical skills for qualified professional work in the field of cultural heritage protection, preservation, conservation and restoration.

  • The Academy of Arts is the only school of higher education in Estonia where one can acquire an academic higher education in cultural heritage and architectural conservation and restoration, as well as the conservation and restoration of art. The department’s faculty members are recognised and highly respected specialists in their fields.
  • The curriculum is responsive to changes and developments in the philosophy, as well as theories and practices, of cultural heritage and restoration. It is based on the principles of sustainable development and balanced innovation through the consistent development of the cultural environment.
  • Preserving and protecting the cultural legacy, and its professional conservation and restoration necessitates the education of highly qualified specialists.

News and events

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Foreign Art Study trip to Lithuania

The annual spring study trip in the history of foreign art for students of Art History and Visual Culture and Heritage and Conservation in late April and early May of 2025 took us to Lithuania. The overall aim of the trip was to explore the architectural, artistic and cultural heritage of a region which, geographically and in terms of historical experience, might seem relatively close to ...
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Meeting of Estonian UNESCO chairs

On 13th May 2025, two UNESCO chairs – the University of Tartu chair on Applied Studies of Intangible Cultural Heritage, and the Estonian Academy of Arts’ chair on Cultural Heritage and Conservation – will organise a joint seminar. The roundtable features prof. Kristin Kuutma, dr. Elo-Hanna Seljamaa, dr. Riin Alatalu and dr. Anneli Randla, moderated by dr. Kristina Jõekalda. The meeting is ...
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Open Lectures of Bernt Notke’s Seminar at the Niguliste Museum and the Church of the Holy Spirit

On December 3 and 5, open lectures will be held at the Niguliste Museum and the Church of the Holy Spirit as part of Bernt Notke’s seminar and workshop, and everyone is welcome to attend. NIGULISTE MUSEUM: Tuesday, December 3 from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Beata Možejko ((University of Gdańsk) and Oskar Rojewski (University of Silesia in Katowice): “A Happy accident for Poland…” – The Last ...
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Monumental art abroad created by Dolores Hoffmann and other Estonian female artists

The project focuses on the fate and status of monumental works created by Dolores Hoffmann, one of the founders and long-time faculty members of the Monumental Painting Department at the Estonian SSR State Art Institute, and her students, including Urve Dzidzaria and other renowned female artists, outside of Estonia. This is a topic that has not been scientifically explored before, but it ...
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Symposium on Soviet studies at Nõva, 8.08.2024

On 8th of August, a gathering of researchers of the Soviet era took place at the Nõva parish house and the Nõva Rannaküla Võrgukuur, where various topics related to the period under study were discussed. Researchers from the Estonian Academy of Arts, Tallinn University, University of Tartu and elsewhere participated. In total, there were 11 speeches, 1 round table and the day was rounded off ...
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International Workshop “How to Reframe Monuments: Case Studies for Thinking Through Dissonant Heritage”

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has sparked debates and conflicts over Russian and Soviet monuments in the former Eastern Bloc and has also revitalized global discussions about dissonant heritage. This has created a new need and a new framework for comparisons – for comparing monuments, as well as their toppling and rebuilding in different parts of the world and historical contexts. ...
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Research project creates new solutions for reinterpreting monuments

In 2024, the three-year research project How to Reframe Monuments was launched, with the aim of creating new solutions for reinterpreting monuments and other dissonant heritage. The interdisciplinary project received funding from the Ministry of Culture's new research and development programme. It is led by the Estonian Academy of Arts in cooperation with Tallinn University, and partners with ...
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Port Cities: Values and Sustainable Development

The follow-up project of the research Tallinn Old Town: Sustainable Management and Presentation. The aim of the project is to ensure the implementation and further development of what was achieved in the first period of cooperation between the Estonian Academy of Arts and the Port of Tallinn. A new topic is the mapping of the values of Paldiski, as the potential of Paldiski as a port city and ...