Exhibitions

Photo: Estonian Girl Guides in Adelaide, late 1950s. Imbi Uudre, Tiiu Põllusaar, Ilma Kolk, Maie Talmet, Ena Sark, Ülle Rehe, Eeva Paevere, Ann Luur, Mare Kuningas

EAA exhibitions are developed by Archive volunteers and in some cases with help from additional people or groups. Most exhibitions are held in the foyer of Estonian House, Sydney but for Estonian Festivals and special occasions, the exhibitions are displayed in other venues as well. The “DP camp life 1945-1950” exhibition has travelled around Australia and the world: Vilnius in Lithuania, Riga in Latvia, Tartu in Estonia and Turku in Finland.

Current Exhibition - Feb 2026

Image from "Ephmera" Exhibition

Ephemera

Ephemera is material, which is only intended to last a very short time. It includes advertising flyers, known today as ‘junk mail, tickets for buses or for concerts, product packaging, those annoying paper tags attached to new clothes, cardboard beer coasters, posters, paper dolls, envelopes, receipts and bookmarks, just to name a few.

When they survive, they give insights into past lives and past activities. They are the rubbish of everyday life. Just like archaeological artefacts, they are a window into the ordinary lives of ordinary people.

These items come from the collection of the Estonian Archives in Australia.

Past Exhibitions

The Archives has put on regular exhibitions since 1996 as listed below.
August 2025“Adelaide Estonian Society 75 years”, Sydney Estonian House
February 2025“Then and Now”, Sydney Estonian House
August 2024“The Great Escape – 80th Anniversary”, Sydney Estonian House
August 2023“Jakobson retrospective”, Sydney Estonian House
February 2023“Works on paper”, Sydney Estonian House
February 2021“The Story Continues 2021”, Sydney Estonian House
August 2019“The Great Escape 1944”, Sydney Estonian House
February 2018“DP Camp Life 1945-1950”, The Latvian Society, Riga, Latvia
September 2017“DP Camp Life 1945-1950”, Technical University Library, Vilnius, Lithuania
September 2017“Estonian Society of Sydney “Eesti Kodu Linda” 90 years”, Sydney Estonia House
December 2016“DP Camp Life 1945-1950”, 26th Estonian Festival Adelaide
September 2016“Happily Australian but Estonian too”, Sydney Estonian House
September 2015“DP Camp Life 1945-1950”, Sydney Estonian House
September 2014“The Great Escape from Estonia in 1944”, Sydney Estonia House
February 2013“Womens magazines in Estonia”, Sydney Estonia House
February 2012“Estonians in Australia before WWI”, Sydney Estonia House
November 2011“ENUS 100 years”, Sydney Estonia House
May 2011“Estonian money through the ages”, Sydney Estonia House
December 2010“Our story continues”, 23rd Estonian Festival, Adelaide
November 2010“Estonian Festivals in Australia”, Sydney Estonia House
November 2009“Estonian Society of Sydney Folk dancers 1934-2009”, Sydney Estonia House
August 2009“Meie Kodu 60th anniversary”, Sydney Estonia House
December 2008“Life in a DP camp”, Sydney Estonia House
October 2007ESS “Eesti Kodu Linda 80th anniversary “, Sydney Estonia House
January 2007“Estonian children’s books”, Sydney Estonia House
January 2006“Estonian food, Estonian drinks”, 21st Estonian Festival, Sydney Estonian House
February 2005“Kalevipoeg”, Sydney Estonia House
January 2005“Happily Australian but Estonian too”, Heritage Library, Canberra
May-June 2004“Happily Australian but Estonian too”, Sydney Estonian House
Dec-Feb 2004“Happily Australian but Estonian too”, 20th Estonian Festival, Immigration Museum, Adelaide
May 2003“Estonian song”, Sydney Estonia House
May 2002“Preserving the Estonian culture in Australia”, Sydney Estonia House
February 2002“Preserving the Estonian culture in Australia”, Sydney Estonia House