Teematuurid

The Ice Age Centre’s thematic tours take you on an exciting adventure through different eras – from the Ice Age to the Stone Age, from mammoths to glacial boulders, and from the depths of Lake Saadjärv to the challenges of future climate change. Each tour is designed to offer an educational, playful, and memorable experience for both children and adults. Our experienced guides know how to spark curiosity, explain complex topics in a clear and accessible way, and answer questions from curious minds of all ages. Every tour also includes a hands-on activity – giving you the chance to explore, touch, draw, identify, or even create something yourself. Learning comes alive when you can hold a real mammoth tooth, build a food web, or discover the secrets hidden in ancient rocks!

ICE AGE THEMATIC TOUR

An educational and engaging journey back in time that explores how the Ice Ages have shaped our planet, landscapes, biodiversity, and human history. This tour is designed to be exciting and meaningful for visitors of all ages. The main idea: the world has always changed, is changing now, and will continue to change in the future.

We’ll talk about:

How do ice ages occur and why do they repeat?
What role do glaciers play in shaping the land?
Who lived during the Ice Age – was it really just mammoths?
How has the Ice Age left a mark on Estonian nature?

🕒 Duration: 45 min
💶 Price: €12 per participant + €40 guide fee per group
🎯 Suitable for: families, adults, school groups
📍Location: Ice Age Centre, exhibitions on floors I and II; ends with a hands-on activity indoors

STONE AGE THEMATIC TOUR

We dive into the era when the first people lived in what is now Estonia. How did they live? What did they eat? How did they survive without metal? This tour brings the distant Stone Age to life in a relatable and exciting way.

We’ll talk about:

How long was the Stone Age compared to today?
Were there really settlements by Lake Saadjärv?
What was on the Stone Age menu – just mammoths or also berries and fish?
How did people make tools without iron?
When and why did communities begin to settle down?

👐 Hands-on activity: examples of tools and materials, discussion about early homes and daily life (exact content may vary)

🕒 Duration: 45 min
💶 Price: €12 per participant + €40 guide fee per group
🎯 Suitable for: families, adults, school groups
📍Location: Ice Age Centre exhibitions (human settlement & tools), ends with a hands-on activity indoors

LAKE SAADJÄRV THEMATIC TOUR

This tour takes us back about 12,000 years, when glaciers retreated and Lake Saadjärv was formed. We explore the lake’s ecosystem, its human connections, and its importance for science, nature and everyday life – from ancient fishing to modern climate monitoring.

We’ll talk about:

How did glaciers shape Lake Saadjärv?
What lives in the lake – from algae to fish and beyond?
How has human activity impacted the lake?
What does climate change mean for Saadjärv?

👐 Hands-on activity:
Option 1 – build a food web puzzle of the lake’s ecosystem, from algae to predators and humans. Each participant receives a mini-poster of their ecosystem.
Option 2 (for younger children) – draw a cross-section of the lake, imagining a clean and thriving environment.

🕒 Duration: 45 min
💶 Price: €12 per participant + €40 guide fee per group
🎯 Suitable for: families, adults, school groups
📍Location: Ice Age Centre surroundings and Lake Saadjärv shoreline, exhibition on floor II; ends with a hands-on activity indoors

MAMMOTH THEMATIC TOUR

Step into the footprints of giants and meet a life-sized mammoth! This tour explores the life, adaptations and extinction of mammoths – and what modern science is learning from their frozen remains.

We’ll talk about:

Were mammoths just furry elephants?
What did they eat and how did they move?
What can we learn from mammoth teeth and tusks?
Did climate change lead to their extinction?
Could we one day see a living mammoth again?

👐 Hands-on activity:
Explore a real mammoth tooth and tusk – touch them with gloves, compare size and structure, learn how often mammoth teeth changed and what their growth rings reveal.

🕒 Duration: 45 min
💶 Price: €12 per participant + €40 guide fee per group
🎯 Suitable for: from age 10+, school groups, families, adults
📍Location: Indoor exhibition on mammoths at the Ice Age Centre

GLACIAL ERRATICS THEMATIC TOUR

Discover how massive stones from Scandinavia and Finland travelled to Estonia during the last Ice Age. We explore the fascinating world of glacial boulders and their role in both nature and culture.

We’ll talk about:

Where did Estonia’s boulders come from?
Why are they most common in Northern Estonia?
How have people used them – from sacred sites to building materials?
What stories do the stones tell, like the legendary “wedding stone”?

👐 Hands-on activity:
Touch and compare rocks – granite, gneiss, limestone, sandstone. Learn simple identification methods and create a “boulder portrait” with origin and travel story. Discussion on traditional stone uses and what qualities were needed for tools and structures.

🕒 Duration: 45 min
💶 Price: €12 per participant + €40 guide fee per group
🎯 Suitable for: from age 10+, school groups, families, adults
📍Location: Ice Age Centre rock exhibit (indoor and outdoor), includes a floor map of boulder origins

INTRODUCTORY TOUR: “FROM THE BIG BANG TO ELECTRICITY”

A short yet meaningful tour that gives an overview of the Ice Age Centre’s purpose, layout and highlights. Perfect for first-time visitors who want to understand where to start and how to make the most of their visit.

We’ll talk about:

Why is the Centre located here, on the shore of Lake Saadjärv?
How is the building structured across three floors?
How to use the audioguide (own phone or rental)?
Where to find the best experiences – northern lights room, kids’ play area, Lempsi’s trail, outdoor park, raft rides, etc.

🕒 Duration: 25 min
💶 Price: €12 per participant (included in regular ticket)
🎧 Guide fee: €30 per group
📍Location: starts in the main lobby; short walk-through to help visitors explore further at their own pace