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This spring, the Oxford and Cambridge Society of Estonia is heading to the City of Good Thoughts. The idea is simple: an unhurried afternoon of good food, sharp ideas, and even better company - with Voltaire as our unlikely guide.
Programme
• 13:30 — Optional: Brunch at Sinimandria
• 15:30 — Private curator’s tour of “Voltaire: Making History” at the UT Art Museum by Dr Sophie Turner
• 17:00 — Optional: relaxed drinks, dinner, and walk around Tartu
We kindly ask you to register your participation via Luma by Sunday, 1 March.
The event is open to society members, friends and partners, and anyone curious.
We’ll start with brunch at Sinimandria, one of Tartu’s new hotspots (Kompanii St 2). The restaurant pays homage to a legendary pre-war Tartu establishment, making it the perfect place to set the tone before heading into the Enlightenment.
From there, we’ll move on to a private curator’s tour of the exhibition “Voltaire: Making History” at the University of Tartu Art Museum, led by Dr Sophie Turner, French cultural historian and visiting lecturer at EKA. Sophie is also an active new member of the committee of the Oxford and Cambridge Society, and a great balancing force, having attended both universities.
Sophie has been working on creating this exhibition for over two years, ensuring the arrival of specifically selected works of art from many museums outside of Estonia.
The tour explores how French Enlightenment ideas (and objects) reached Estonia and shaped local intellectual life. A particular spotlight is placed on the 1920s and 1930s, when Voltaire became a symbol of cultural modernity for the Estonian intelligentsia in the young Republic. Expect surprising connections, fresh perspectives, and a gentle dismantling of the idea of Estonia as a cultural backwater on Europe’s margins. Read more about the exhibition here: https://muuseum.ut.ee/en/content/exhibition-voltaire-making-history
**Please note that entry to the museum is 8 euros, to be paid on location, or free with the Museum Card (Muuseumikaart).**
After the tour, we will continue with casual drinks, and dinner and a stroll around Tartu, for those who fancy it.
PS! For those travelling down from Tallinn and wishing to go together, we’re planning to travel by the following trains:
• 10:25–12:41 — Train from Balti jaam (we suggest to pre-book on the Elron website)
• 20:04–22:17 — Train back to Balti jaam (we suggest to pre-book on the Elron website)
Whether you’re based in Tartu already or just need a good reason to escape Tallinn for an afternoon, we hope you’ll join us for this special Oxford and Cambridge Society outing in the City of Good Thoughts.
The Oxford and Cambridge Society of Estonia is a friendly community of people in Estonia with ties to Oxford, Cambridge, and the UK. We regularly organise dinners, talks and events. These often revolve around a love of learning, academia, intellectual discovery and good conversation. More information: www.oxbridgeestonia.org
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Event Venue
Tartu Ülikooli kunstimuuseum, Tartu Ülikooli Filosoofiateaduskond, Jakobi, Tartu, 51014 Tartu Maakond, Eesti, Estonia
Tickets
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