While some of these, such as the national museum – which acts as an umbrella organization for many of the regional museums – have healthy visitor numbers, others are struggling, however.

The Estonian military history heritage NGO (MTÜ ESAP), is coordinated by the Viimsi-based National War Museum (Eesti sõjamuuseum) and is an association of museums and collections engaged in researching, preserving and exhibiting Estonian military history.

Sergei Jerjomin, from one of these museums, in Jõgeva, noted the national war museum has been a lifeline to keep his institution going, and even then it is possible the museum will have to close. "It is a private project and we receive no financial support from the local government; essentially, our only supporter is the Estonian War Museum," Jerjomin said.

National war museum director Hellar Lill said more of an effort should be made to make military museums appeal to the public. "We need to expand the scope of museum education so that people come to museums. For example, this year the Estonian War Museum is organizing a summer school on military history and national defense for students and teachers, for the very first time," Lill said.

The Valga Isamaalise Kasvatuse Püsiekspositsioon museum in South Estonia, essentially a military theme park, is similarly keen to attract visitors. The museum's goal is to promote patriotic education through civic initiative and to showcase the history and activities of the security and defense institutions of southern Estonia, museum director Meelis Kivi said.

"What makes us unique is that in addition to the museum, we provide national defense education and a wide range of other services; we have one of the most distinctive museums in the Baltic states," Kivi said.

Valga's Military History Festival drew people from across Europe, while Kivi noted cooperation with Latvia and the Estonian War Museum, including equipment rentals for smaller museums, performances and films.

Jerjomin said the Jõgewa museum (the spelling convention for Jõgeva here is that used during the interwar First Estonian Republic – ed.) was started by himself and a friend as a not-for-profit project arising from an interest in military archaeology, after the pair had found a wealth of military archaeological artifacts from a variety of eras.

However, the museum faces funding shortages and possible closure. The national museum in Estonia, however, is in a healthier situation, Lill said.

"Last year, we had nearly 50,000 people, including regular visitors as well as those taking part in guided tours and museum events," Lill noted, adding that this is a relatively large figure given the museum itself is not particularly big, even by Estonian standards.

In the off season, visitors include schoolchildren on excursions, local residents and families, while peak tourist season brings museum-goers from other countries – not just other European nations but even as far afield as Japan.

"Marketing certainly plays a part in this; for example, our advertisement is displayed at Tallinn Airport, which definitely helps," Lill continued.

The museum preserves artifacts tied to Estonia's military history, including wars fought in Estonia, foreign missions, and the various armies and conflicts involving Estonians, Lill added.

The museum operates its main site in Viimsi and travels across Estonia with exhibitions, events and military history lectures.

As for the smaller nationwide museums, far from being competitors, these are partners and even receive support from the national museum, for instance in training, given the amateur roots of some of the institutions.

"The people behind them are tremendous enthusiasts, and we are extremely grateful to them for carrying out the same work that we do," Lill said.

Lill gave as examples the Sinimägede Museum in Vaivara, Ida-Viru County, the Valga military museum and similar museums on Hiiumaa and on Saaremaa.

In the case of the Sinimägede museum, named after the Blue Hills region, where there was a pivotal battle in summer 1944, there is plenty of scope for expansion, Lill went on, adding there are plans are in place for a larger Blue Hills museum to offer tourists a more balanced account of World War II in Estonia.

The national war museum was instrumental in the removal and relocation of pro-Soviet war memorials and similar installations, including notably a World War Two Soviet T-34 tank from just outside Narva, in the wake of Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine from 2022.

The ESAP members are:

• Estonian War Museum – General Laidoner Museum
• Eesti Vabadusvõitluse Muuseum
• Vaivara Sinimägede Muuseum
• Eesti Lennundusmuuseum (Estonian aviation museum)
• Valga Isamaalise Kasvatuse Püsiekspositsioon (Valga permanent exhibition of patriotic education)
• Viljandi Museum
• Saaremaa Sõjavara Muuseum
• Sõrve Militaarmuuseum (Saaremaa)
• Hiiumaa Militaarmuuseum
• Jõgewa Muuseum

There are other military museums and collections which are not ESAP members, as well as more general museums which host military exhibits.

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