Our Story
Karilatsi Open Air Museum
Karilatsi Open Air Museum (until 1. of July 2019 the muuseum was called Põlva Peasantry Museum) is situated on the old post-road from Tartu to Võru.
The typical covering with buildings of the parish centre was formed at the end of the 19 th century.
Here is tryed to attain the closeness to life and the naturalness with exposition. To the territory gives colour characteristic nature of the south-eastern Estonia. The territory embraces about five hectars.
There is the tradition to plant the trees by prominent figures of culture and publicity.
Founding of the museum was started at the beginning of 1970es by Kalju Kermas, 
who was supporter of Põlva county.
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The windmill of Dutch type was built in the village Prangli in 1901. It was brought to the museum and displayed in 1974.
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The model of Põlva county was made by the school children in 1970es. There are marked the settlements, the road network, the waters and the forests.
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About 140 years old octangular storehouse of beehives was brought to the museum in 1986 from Valgemetsa. Vanda Juhansoo used it as a smoke sauna.
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The main building of the museum is the Karilatsi schoolhouse. It was completed in 1889. There are presented a classroom and living rooms of a teacher, the memorial-room of an artist Vanda Juhansoo and temporary exhibitions.
To the school farm belonged also a cowhouse, store-house, smoke sauna, cellar and teachers’ living-house (built 1927, now the museum office). In cowhouse we now present women`s handycraft tools and old vehicles.
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In 1880 the community and court house was built (renoverted in 1987). After completing the community house the old one became a almshouse.
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In 1879 the communal granary of Karilatsi was built. At the end of the 1920es the first floor was built, what was used as a club house. Later was on the ground floor a smithy and on the first floor was grain dryer.
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On the other side of the post road you can find Punaku farm buildings of a village blacksmith, and also the typical Estonian chimney-less barn-dwelling(15), which was built in village Kähri in 1860. This is example of the farm with middling wealth. Obscure and smoky kiln-house enables you to get an original experience.
In 1. of July 2019, the museum was named as Karilatsi Open Air Museum.