Väike saar, suured elamused

The sea is Hiiumaa islanders’ life and destiny, dining table and horizon, work and route of connection. The sea brings winds and storms, love and tragic. You will be able to see a lot under the waters of Hiiumaa. Walk on the muddy seabed and discover how Hiiumaa was created. Admire ancient wrecks of ships or stand face to face with a NATO submarine. You can also see how we net fish and how we relate to seals. The little guests can second crabs in a fencing duel and become acquainted with the fishes of Hiiumaa. There will be bottomless amounts of fresh experience.

Hiiumaa begins and ends with the sea. Come and walk on the UNESCO-recognised pebbled coast, feel the tugging force of the wind and discover Hiiumaa with all your senses. It is here that you will learn the smell of wild thyme, tarred rope and sheep pellets. You can touch sealskin and take a closer look at rocks that have been rounded by the autumn storms and winter winds in Ristna. Compare the life-sized plants in the herbarium with a Hiiumaa that will fit in the palm of your hand. There is plenty to discover here.

For little pirates, we have the Hiiu breakwater, where one can actually pull start a boat motor and put on a pair of wellingtons to almost literally walk in the shoes of a Hiiumaa fisherman.

Indeed! You will find our miraculous stories about island life unfolding here in front of your very eyes. These stories originate from the daily lives, from the kitchen, shop or even sauna. Whether the fine art of storytelling is inherited by the islanders or transmitted through the sea air, is not known.

Hiiumaa islanders love words and stories. It is part of the island’s mystery. Words can be honed and tossed up into the air, caught and knocked up. And of course, words can also be eaten, even though we usually prefer smoked fish. Here you can learn about the language of Hiiumaa and test your sense of humour. But beware, Hiiumaa jokes are no joke.

Take time out and give yourself some decent relaxation with the finest moments and views of Hiiumaa. What emotions are in fact caused by the wind, rain, sunshine, vastness, roar of the sea and quiet of the forest?

Look inside yourself but keep your ears open. You will hear then how the feel of Hiiumaa is described by our well-known composers, actors, athletes and other public figures.

Here you can lie in a hammock and meditate with a video slowly gliding over Hiiumaa’s charming nature. Every moment is full of poetry, and the walls are decorated with poems by Paul-Eerik Rummo, Ernst Enno, Ave Alavainu and other much-loved poets, inspired by Hiiumaa.

Rise up into the sky and experience Hiiumaa from a bird’s-eye view. You will need a bit of imagination and dreams. Sometimes, dreams can turn into clouds, scattered by winds and shaken by gusts of rain. Some unfulfilled dream, though, may plop down from the sky and unexpectedly come true.

Let us suppose that you have dreamed about jumping on the clouds. You can do it in real life here.

Children can put themselves to the test on a thrilling net wall that can even be used for climbing to the next floor. If that is not enough, there is a surprising Tahkuna lighthouse in our building, awaiting to be discovered.

Or, perhaps, you have dreamed about controlling the weather? Be our guest! Sitting behind our Hiiumaa weather control panel, you will be able to conjure up rain, storm, thunder or northern lights. It will not be possible, though, to directly verify the old local saying ‘thunder and lightning means Our Lord eating herring’. But from the interactive game about migratory birds you will learn what the common buzzard feeds on. Or whether the Pied avocet has its tail up or down. Or whether the black-headed gull, also known as the ‘laughing gull’ in Latin, laughs at the jokes of Hiiumaa islanders.

Come to embrace the wind! Up the spiral stairs to face the real breath of Hiiumaa. This island is not gone with the wind but it definitely came with the wind. Wind cleans the world. Wind gives birth to storms and makes ships move, breaks trees and wheels windmills.

Despite everything, you may start to like the wind in its waywardness – especially here, on the roof of our tower. It will sing you a genuine wind song, play in your hair and blow away any sadness. From this wuthering height, you can cast an eye at Käina bay and wave hello to the neighbouring Saaremaa islanders across the sea.

And when your eyes are finally adapted to looking at the distance, play a wind symphony with the wind chimes.

Who said Estonia is so flat that you cannot do mountain climbing here? Hiiumaa islanders lent a hand and built a climbing wall of dimensions unexampled in the Baltic countries. Not to mention the neighbouring island of Saaremaa.

Our climbing wall begins from the lower ground floor of the Windtower and stretches 20 metres up. The wall has 11 tracks, which should be enough for even the most passionate adrenaline lover. Be a professional climber or just about to discover the fascination of climbing – under the direction of an instructor, you will be able to safely test your abilities in conquering new heights.

You can use the climbing wall individually or in good company, celebrating a birthday or some other event here. School groups are cordially invited and we can also host corporate events. Training is available for all adults interested in developing their climbing skills.

Our experience shows that first-time visitors could count on one hour of climbing time on the wall. To ensure a pleasant experience, we serve up to 7 climbers on the climbing wall at a time. Exceptions are made for adult groups or when accepting experienced climbers.

When planning a visit, please note that we accept reservations at least 24 hours in advance ave.alviste@hiiumaa.ee or +372 58 304 592. When planning a climb for the same day, a lively queue must be taken into account.

Keep your eye on our climbing wall schedule here.

Hold a seminar or reception in the Windtower. For a memorable experience, the event can be organised in the Underwater World, which can accommodate up to 50 persons. Larger receptions or conferences can be held in the large and well-lighted seminar area on Floor 2. By booking seminar rooms for an entire day, you will get a discount for the main exhibition area.

Further information and booking: tuuletorn@hiiumaa.ee.

The seminar area, which is also used for our seasonal exhibitions, is on Floor 2, and situated separately from the main exhibition area. From June, we are hosting the photo exhibition ‘Winds of the Land and Sea’ by the local photographers Argo Nurs and Pääro Metsand.

Birthdays offering discovery and educative content will be memorable. In the Windtower, birthday events can be organised for children or adults, with fun and discovery for all ages.

Further information and booking: tuuletorn@hiiumaa.ee.

Would you like a memento of Hiiumaa or a special gift for someone? On Floor 1 there is a gift shop with an interesting selection of items, including local handicrafts and authentic tastes of Hiiumaa.