Stories from Our Shelves: More Than a Notebook

Written by Brit Tammeorg

When creating the Museum Card Shop, I had one clear goal: I didn’t want to fill our shelves with simply beautiful products. I wanted every item to have a story. Objects that reflect Estonia’s culture, art, history and people—and that inspire visitors to discover the museums they come from.

That idea also inspired this blog series. From time to time, I’ll introduce one of the products that speaks to me the most. I’ll share why I chose it for our shop, who created it, and what makes it so special.

The first story begins with the notebooks from the Juhan Kuusi Documentary Photo Centre.

A Notebook with a Real Story

At first glance, it’s simply an elegant notebook with a striking black-and-white cover. But the image on the cover is the work of Juhan Kuus, one of the world’s most celebrated documentary photographers and a photographer of Estonian heritage.

The notebook on the left features Man with Puppies. South Africa, 2015. The one on the right shows Girl in Bo-Kaap. South Africa, 1973.

Juhan Kuus devoted his life to documenting people and society. Working primarily in South Africa, he captured the realities of the apartheid era, while also revealing moments of everyday life filled with joy, hardship and humanity. His photographs have appeared in leading international publications, and he received the prestigious World Press Photo award twice during his career.

To me, these notebooks are much more than stationery. Every photograph preserves a real moment and reminds us that even the most ordinary scenes can hold extraordinary stories.

I like to think that the notebook you use to capture your own thoughts can also encourage you to see the world a little more closely. Perhaps it will spark your curiosity to learn more about the person behind the camera—and the story behind the photograph.

If you appreciate photography that captures the human experience, I warmly recommend visiting the Juhan Kuus Documentary Photo Centre. You’ll discover not only the photographs behind these notebooks, but also the remarkable legacy of one of Estonia’s most internationally recognised documentary photographers.