The Saaremaa Museum () is a museum in Kuressaare, Saare County, Estonia. The museum exhibits items from Saaremaa. It is one of the oldest and largest museums in Estonia.
History On 17 February 1865, the Saaremaa Research Society (; ) was founded in Kuressaare. The society collected museum exhibits which would be held in the Saaremaa Museum. The first exhibition was done on 4 January 1866.
The museum underwent several name changes particularly during and after World War II. During the Soviet occupation of the Baltic states in 1940, the Saaremaa Museum was renamed to the Local History Museum (). The former name was restored during the German occupation of the Baltic states until the Soviet re-occupation of the Baltic states. After World War II, the museum officially reopened for visitors on 15 June 1947. From 1946–1950, the name Kuressaare County Museum () was also used. In 1950, the museum was renamed to Kuressaare rajoonidevaheliseks koduloomuuseumiks (since 1952 Kingissepa rajoonidevaheliseks koduloomuuseumiks due to the renaming of the city of Kuressaare to Kingissepa). In 1959, the museum was renamed to the Saaremaa Local History Museum (). In 1990, the original name of the museum, Saaremaa Museum, was restored.
The current director of the Saaremaa Museum is Priit Kivi.
Exhibitions Name Image Type Summary Location URLJohannes and Joosep Aavik's Memorial Museum (et) BiographicalHouse museum of linguist Johannes Aavik and local cultural activist Joosep AavikVanalinna 7Kuressaare Castle Historic SiteHistorical Kuressaare Episcopal CastleLossihoov 1Mihkli Farm Museum (et) Cultural19th century local rural villageViki
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