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.
TripAdvisor® Traveler Reviews
tripadvisor rating 4.1 of 5
based on 1312 reviews
Book in advance and hope for a small group
tripadvisor rating 5 of 5Our 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
Ludicrously overhyped and overpriced
tripadvisor rating 1 of 5You could visit in 10 mins without a guide. It’s two tiny rooms. There’s not even much more info than common sense: The KGB were here. The big draw is the views but you can see in other places... Read more comments
Very interesting tour!
tripadvisor rating 5 of 5Fascinating tour, made more interesting by the guide who lived through the Soviet occupation, so had firsthand knowledge of life pre-independence.
