Museum of Photography

Museum address:

Raekoja street 4/6, Tallinn 10146

Entrance fee 1 EURO

Museum open during operating hours 18:00 - 23:00

Program

Shutter Chorus – sound traces of the process of photography  

Although photography is primarily linked to visual perception, camera operation has always been accompanied by specific mechanical sounds. These are such an integral part of the shooting process that modern silent digital cameras and smartphones artificially add shutter sounds to provide users with necessary auditory feedback on the action.

A camera’s sonic profile directly depends on its construction. Inter-lens spacers in objectives work almost silently, while film curtains create characteristic sweeping noises depending on material and direction. Mirror cameras dominate with the mirror’s rapid up-down “clack,” making them louder than other types.

Beyond the exposure moment, other mechanical stages shape the camera’s sonic character: shutter cocking, film advance gear rattling, and timer buzz for slow exposures. Shutter speed determines sound duration too, turning each shot into a temporally measurable audio event.

The Museum Night theme “Voices in the Night” prompted the Museum of Photography to begin recording the operating sounds of the cameras in its collection, a selection of which are showcased for the first time on Museum Night as a soundscape for the camera exhibition.

“The Voice of Time” by Madis Muul
Using the camera sound recordings from the Museum of Photography, composer and musician Madis Muul created the piece “The Voice of Time” (5:29) for Museum Night, which can be heard in the museum’s courtyard. The composer himself described the process as follows:
“Listening to the recorded camera clicks in detail, I searched for resonant sounds, fragments, and sonic layers that became the material for the piece. By speeding up, slowing down, and altering the pitch of the sounds, different rhythms and textures began to emerge. In this way, independent and harmonious soundscapes evolved from individual mechanical sounds.
At the core of the piece is the search for the right moment and the preservation of a fragment of time. For me, vintage cameras and the analogue process possess an almost sacred dimension. There is an important meditative aspect to the process—a carefully chosen moment, deep observation, and a focus on details. I tried to capture this meditativeness and the sense of frozen time within the sounds.”

Colour Tickle Vote
On the experiential exhibition “Colour Tickle” dedicated to colour photography, vote quietly by feel. View Estonia’s oldest colour photos and cast your supportive vote for the most appealing colour filter pattern used to shoot them. Museum Night reveals which century-old colour process still resonates with the strongest today.

22:00–23:00 Hour of Silence

How does silence sound?
At the end of an evening saturated with sounds and as a counterpoint to the Eurovision echoing across the city, Tallinn City Museum branches will turn off all sound installations during the final hour of Museum Night. This allows visitors to listen to the natural sounds of the historic buildings.
We also invite visitors to turn off their devices, speak more quietly, and be considerate of those sensitive to noise.

Accessibility information:

Access to the Museum of Photography is by stairs only. Please note that the internal staircases are narrow, steep, and uneven.