There once was a hotel that came to be named the Viru.
The year was 1972, and there were still two decades or so until the fall of Communism and the collapse of the Soviet Union. Any hotel that was appropriate for foreign visitors also had to be appropriate for theKGB...
This museum tells the story of more than just one hotel and the KGB: it is a treasure trove of stories of two different worlds - one which existed mostly on paper, of happy Soviet citizens living in friendship and never wanting for anything, led by a wise, all-powerful group of men in a place where there were never any accidents or catastrophes; and the other real world, which was a very different and a much tougher place to live in.
Please book in advance to visit the museum.

TripAdvisor® Traveler Reviews

tripadvisor rating 4.1 of 5

based on1296 reviews

• very informative guide

  tripadvisor rating 5 of 5

  November 27, 2025By astepforever

  a very interesting tour. you got to visit the 23rd floor that "doesn't exist". it doesn't have a lot of exhibits, but the tour guide is very knowledgeable. he himself lived through the Soviet time... Read more comments

• History Brought to Life at the KGB Hotel in Tallinn

  tripadvisor rating 5 of 5

  October 7, 2025By JCS07

  The KGB Museum at the Hotel Viru is a must-see in Tallinn. Our guide, Mart, was outstanding — a former musician who actually performed at the hotel during the Soviet occupation. His firsthand stories... Read more comments

• Lest we forget, a worthwhile tour by a knowledgeable guide

  tripadvisor rating 5 of 5

  October 2, 2025By 841stevev

  Lest we forget, the KGB facility tour was instructive and important. Our guide really knew his stuff and was excellent. It is normally hard to visualize the brutality, terror and inhumanity of the... Read more comments