Armas Tallinna (näyttelysuunnittelu)

The Helsinki City Museum’s new exhibition, Dear Tallinn – Stories of our Neighbour, offers a glimpse into the photo albums and travel diaries of the people of Helsinki. These memories of trips to Tallinn depict tales of the radical Rock Summer 1988 concert, shady taxi rides towards the outskirts of the city, and sweating in front of officious customs officers while tobacco cartons stick out from under the coat. The latest stories from the time of the pandemic convey a deep longing for our dear neighbour. Memories from different decades paint several pictures of the Finnish traveller: a ‘reindeer’ strutting in the Viru hotel lobby, a brave sailor crossing the Gulf of Finland or an aficionado of Estonian language and culture. On the other hand, they also tell a larger story of the difficult conditions in Soviet Estonia, the restoration of the country’s independence and its transformation towards a modern technological society.