Village life on the northern shore of Lake Peipus in the early 20th century

How did people live on the northern shore of Lake Peipus in the early 20th century? What did they do, how did they dress, and what did they eat? Everyday life has long been a fascinating research theme for ethnologists. For more than a century, they have been collecting materials on various cultural phenomena and preserving them in museum collections. Several researchers have also visited the Iisaku Parish and the villages along the shores of Lake Peipus. The first fieldwork of the Estonian National Museum in Iisaku Parish took place as early as 1909, when artist Nikolai Triik and mathematics student Eduard Pedak visited the area. Later researchers included Hilda Konso, Gustav Ränk, Ferdinand Linnus, and Aliise Moora.

We invite you on a journey through a selection of materials from the collections of the Estonian National Museum. Step back in time and travel to the daily lives of villagers – on the lake, by the river, in the forest, and across meadows and grain fields.

The exhibition was compiled by Marleen Metslaid and is based on materials from Ferdinand Linnus' fieldwork.