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NB! The KGB prison cells will be temporarily closed in April for renovation of the permanent exhibition. The museum will reopen on May 9th.
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KGB prison cells (will reopen on May 9, 2025)
The basement of the building at 1 Pagari Street was home to one of the most notorious and feared pre-trial detention centers during the Soviet occupation. Previously closed to the public, the KGB prison cells are now open to visitors.
Estonian politicians, civil servants, intellectuals, veterans of the War of Independence, as well as ordinary people, were tortured and sentenced to death or imprisonment here. The cells built in the basement remain a symbol of communist terror to this day.
Visitors will see a basement with two corridors and six cells, including one for solitary confinement. Temporary exhibitions are held in the corridor. You can book a guided tour to walk you through the cells if desired.
TripAdvisor® Traveler Reviews
tripadvisor rating 3.9 of 5
based on 225 reviews
A sad reality of the countries of the former Soviet Union
tripadvisor rating 5 of 5Pagari Street was a synonym for horror for Estonians, because of these KGB cells. From inside them you can still feel a oppressive feeling of the souls tormented by the communist regime. It is worth... Read more comments
Failed to tell any sort of story
tripadvisor rating 1 of 5€20 to combine the KGB Cells and Occupation and Freedom Museum. Both disappointed. The cells were the basement of a building and probably have a huge history. The exhibition starts with “if these... Read more comments
Informative
tripadvisor rating 4 of 5Lots of interesting history of the building, KGB and the use of the cells. Could have had a bit more on the torture methods used and greater explanation of these. Otherwise informative and detailed... Read more comments
