Attractions & museums

Hotel Viru and KGB Museum

There once was a hotel that came to be named the Viru.
The year was 1972, and there were still two decades or so until the fall of Communism and the collapse of the Soviet Union. Any hotel that was appropriate for foreign visitors also had to be appropriate for the KGB...
This museum tells the story of more than just one hotel and the KGB: it is a treasure trove of stories of two different worlds - one which existed mostly on paper, of happy Soviet citizens living in friendship and never wanting for anything, led by a wise, all-powerful group of men in a place where there were never any accidents or catastrophes; and the other real world, which was a very different and a much tougher place to live in.
Please book in advance to visit the museum.

Share

TripAdvisor® Traveler Reviews

TripAdvisor logo tripadvisor rating 4.1 of 5

based on 1315 reviews

  • Very interesting and highly entertaining.

    tripadvisor rating 5 of 5
    April 16, 2026 By BJDublin

    We really enjoyed this excellent tour. Our guide imparted so much information in a very engaging way. We would highly recommend this tour during your visit to Tallinn.

  • Really enjoyed this tour

    tripadvisor rating 5 of 5
    March 29, 2026 By Sidlikespink

    Interesting tour . Yes it’s small but it’s very informative and the stories are great : it was worth it for Me and enjoyed the thought provoking tour . The tour guide had a great sense of humour

  • Book in advance and hope for a small group

    tripadvisor rating 5 of 5
    March 23, 2026 By louisef903

    Our guide Mart was very knowledgeable about the museum. The tour was detailed and he was able to describe some very interesting bits of information. The rooms are understandably quite small so a... Read more comments