Peoples of the Northern Forests is a new exhibition exploring the world of Finno-Ugric peoples, where hunting has long been not only a means of survival, but also a way of life and a core element of spiritual heritage.
The exhibition is a collaboration between the Estonian National Museum and the Finnish Hunting Museum, and will be on view from 20 May 2026 to 28 February 2027.
Drawing on the rich collections of the Estonian National Museum, the exhibition presents objects, photographs, films, and archival materials that portray the hunter as a mediator between nature and community. It brings together traditional knowledge and contemporary perspectives, highlighting how hunting reflects identity, ethics, and relationships with the natural world.
Estonian folklorist Oskar Loorits has called the Finno-Ugric peoples the children of the northern forests. The forest is seen as a habitat, a spiritual space, and a source of identity. Hunting is described as a multifaceted phenomenon – a livelihood, a communal custom, and an expression of ecological understanding.
Entering the exhibition space, visitors are invited into the forest itself, an immersive environment where the spirit of the North reveals the inner strength of Finno-Ugric cultures.
