The new exhibition “Mirror in Space, Mirror in the Soul” at the 19th Century Citizen’s Museum opens a door into a world where a mirror is not merely a practical object, but a cultural and psychological reflection. It is a story about human beings and their relationship with themselves, the world, and the image they see in the mirror.
The exhibition takes visitors back to a time when people first saw their reflection on the still surface of water and considered it a mystical being. Visitors will learn why mirrors were once covered, why vampires cannot be seen in them, and how the mirror is linked to the soul, status, truth, and illusion.
Alongside history, the exhibition also opens a window into the present day—a world in which our “mirror” is the smartphone in our pocket, and social media shapes our self-perception as powerfully as the magical mirror surface once did. What happens when the mirror shifts from a tool of personal introspection to a stage for public display? How does constant reflection affect our mental health and our relationship with ourselves?
Mythology, science, fashion, history, and contemporary culture all come together in this exhibition. Come and discover the mirror as an object that is at once simple and captivating, everyday and timeless.
A mirror does not show only a face—it shows how we see ourselves.
The exhibition at the 19th Century Citizen’s Museum is open from 19 September 2025 to 25 January 2026, 10:00–15:00.
The exhibition is accompanied by the possibility to book museum classes and guided tours.
The mirrors on display come from the collections of the Tartu City Museum, the Estonian National Museum, the Tallinn City Museum, as well as from private collections.
Curator: Triinu Suumann
Language editing: Keeletoimetus OÜ
Translation: Luisa Translation Agency
Children’s corner construction: Mallor Jõesoo, Puitmeister OÜ
The exhibition was supported by the Estonian Cultural Endowment and the Tartu City Museum.