The City Museum’s exhibition “Obscene Tallinn” tells the history of prostitution, erotica and pornography in the city

Text and photos Timo Huttunen

The City Museum’s exhibition “Obscene Tallinn” (Kõlvatu Tallinn) tells stories of the sexual desires, fantasies and taboos of Tallinners, as well as paid love, which has been a part of the city through the ages.

The exhibition presents the sex and prostitution services provided by prostitutes in Tallinn from the 15th century until the Second World War.

What authority was the Red Monastery? What shameless thing happened in Constans Korbmacher’s inn? What was done in the Black Bag? What was written on the whore lists? How to punish a woman who lost her honour? How did it happen to a man?

“Obscene Tallinn” talks about the boundaries of sexual desires. Ordinary relationships take a backseat. The exhibition is an overview of prostitution, erotica and pornography in the history of the city.

A lot of detailed information is available in the exhibition. Visitors can get to know different aspects of life in Tallinn through the ages. How did prostitutes live and work in different eras and who were they? What exactly was fornication?

The exhibition also tells how paid sex has been regulated at different times and what sexually transmitted diseases were spreading in the city, as well as what pornography from different eras was like. Visitors can also find out how many times a week prostitutes had to visit the sauna and how infamous these places were.

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