The concrete domes of the seaplane hangars were commissioned by the Russian Empire before WWI as part of the Peter the Great Naval Fortress.
The museum holds the Lembit, which saw action during WWII and is one of the few surviving Kalev-class submarines.
The Suur Tõll icebreaker was originally built in 1914 in Stettin, Germany, and served under the names Tsar Mikhail Feodorovich and Volynets.
The hangars survived both World Wars largely intact despite the intensive bombing of Tallinn in 1944.
The museum's interior design avoids traditional glass cases, opting for open-floor displays to immerse visitors in the scale of the vessels.
Lennusadam, known as the Seaplane Harbour, is housed within historic 1916 seaplane hangars that were the first in the world to be constructed from reinforced concrete without interior supports. The museum is centered around the 1936 Lembit submarine, which remains the oldest in the world still in its original state. A key display is a 16th-century shipwreck discovered in Tallinn Bay, serving as the focal point of the museum's maritime history collection. The venue features a full-scale replica of the Short Type 184 seaplane. Visitors can explore the icebreaker Suur Tõll, a coal-fired vessel permanently moored at the adjacent pier. Interactive exhibits include flight simulators and various maritime-themed installations spread across the vast floor space. The museum functions as a primary branch of the Estonian Maritime Museum. The structure itself is a protected national monument of Estonia. The exhibition layout is designed to simulate a voyage across the ocean surface, underwater, and in the air.
The mezzanine level overlooking the main hall, providing a wide-angle view of the submarine and the seaplane replica.
Wear layers as the cavernous concrete hangars maintain a cooler temperature than the outside air regardless of the season.
Prioritize exploring the deck of the icebreaker Suur Tõll, which requires stepping outdoors.
Check the museum's digital portal for temporary exhibition updates before arrival, as they rotate frequently.
Do not rush through the exhibit; failing to climb inside the submarine and the icebreaker results in missing the core experience.
Closed on Mondays during the winter season.
Casual, comfortable walking shoes are required due to the large footprint and metal staircases on the ship decks.
