The House Museum of Johannes and Joosep Aavik

Small in size, great in spirit!

The museum is dedicated to the outstanding linguist Johannes Aavik and the beloved music educator Joosep Aavik, and it is located in the heart of Kuressaare. The life’s work of the remarkable linguist Johannes Aavik (1880–1973) from Saaremaa was language reform, a project of unique scope and impact worldwide. During the peak period of the language reform movement in the last century, Aavik presented his main proposals for renewing the structure of the Estonian language and enriching its vocabulary. He artificially created dozens of new words, and on his suggestion, several hundred loanwords from Finnish and Estonian dialects were adopted into the Estonian language.

Joosep Aavik, a music educator, choir conductor, and organist, was a force to be reckoned with in Saaremaa’s cultural landscape in the 20th century. His name has been synonymous with Saaremaa’s cultural life since the 1930s. For over 50 years, he dedicated himself to music education and conducting, leaving an indelible mark on Saaremaa’s musical heritage.