The exhibition titled “Washing Machine Made of Beetroot” is a collaborative project between the Estonian Road Museum, Estonian Agricultural Museum and Tartu City Museum. It explores inventions, ingenuity, recycling and handiwork. The project is part of the European Capital of Culture Tartu 2024 main programme.
The exhibition highlights the remarkably diverse ingenuity and skills that people developed in the challenging circumstances of the Soviet Union. We hope that the creative do-it-yourself tradition serves as inspiration for solving the challenges caused by today’s overabundance.

Tartu City Museum

“Washing Machine Made of Beetroot: Resourcefulness in the City”, a sub-exhibition of the “Washing Machine Made of Beetroot” project.

Nothing was readily available in stores in the Soviet Union, and if it was, it was unattractive and of poor quality. Clothing, accessories, furniture, consumables, etc. often had to be crafted by the people themselves. Those who started building a house for themselves also had to face various challenges. The deficits and conflicts of needs made the people creative and thrifty.

At the sub-exhibition in the Tartu City Museum, you can witness the creativity and resourcefulness that urban Soviet citizens had to possess. You can also see a home photo lab built in a small city home bathroom. The sub-exhibition is made based on the recollections of native Tartu residents or people who have had connections to Tartu, whether for a shorter or longer period.