Gallery

TENANTS AND DOORS

About

Aparaaditehas is a cultural and creative center located in Tartu, Estonia. The name "Aparaaditehas" translates to “apparatus factory" in English, and it is housed in a former factory building that has been converted into a space for events, exhibitions, workshops, and performances.

Our center is known for its vibrant cultural scene and we host a variety of events and activities, including concerts, theater performances, film screenings, art exhibitions, and markets. Aparaaditehas also houses a number of artist studios, design shops, and cafes.

Aparaaditehas is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike, and it has become a hub for the creative community in Tartu. The center has helped to revitalize the area and has played an important role in promoting the arts and culture in Tartu.

During the Soviet times, the factory was used for manufacturing refrigeration equipment, secret submarine parts and in order to mislead the public, also non-functioning umbrellas and zippers. At its heyday in the middle of 1970s, the factory provided employment for almost 1,500 people, it had its own health centre with sauna and a pool, a canteen, it's own artist and enough administrative premises to occupy several buildings.

In 2006, the complex of Aparaaditehas was purchased by a real estate company called ABC Kinnisvarateenuste OÜ. In 2021 the factory was sold to Kultuuritehased OÜ. Since 2014, the 14,000 m2 centre has been developed into a culture factory. The culture and community programme is curated and organised by NGO Aparaaditehas.

Aparaaditehas hosts three restaurants, two cafés and a street food joint, it is the home for the very popular Müürilille flea market, many galleries (Kogo, Ajuokse gallery, R gallery, TYPA Balcony Gallery), many different event spaces and venues like the Hall of Love, Club Gutenberg and the Living Room Behind the Stage. We have a rooftop sauna and a rooftop garden. Aparaaditehas is a home for many different office spaces, two co-working spaces called Sofa Office and Sofa Hub and rooms for numerous small and exciting shops. Our courtyard called Taskupark (The Pocket Park) is the coolest meeting place in the area that hosts both concerts, flea markets and an outdoor cinema in the summer. 

The development of Aparaaditehas has not been limited to just the factory building at Kastani 42 but has expanded to other old industrial buildings in the Vaksali district, repurposing them in line with the cultural factory concept. For example, the former warehouse buildings of the Samelin shoe factory now house the TYPA Printing and Paper museum, while the metal hangar at Kastani 48e has become home to the Ajuokse artist collective. Additionally, the old garage building at Kastani 64a hosts a “mini creative factory” called Le Garage.

In 2024, Kultuuritehased OÜ, the company that owns Aparaaditehas, acquired another old garage building in the Filosoofi-Kastani area, near the Samelin shoe factory, at Kastani 50. This space now accommodates the plant shop-event venue-café Plantarium, the Middle Eastern eatery Köömen, the creative agency Jopp Creative, and several classrooms of the Tartu Art School.

We offer tours of Aparaaditehas which can be held in English. Minimum group size is 10 people (contact ekskursioon@aparaaditehas.ee for more info). 

Aparaaditehas hosts a variety of different events every week from concerts to workshops and parties to exhibitions. Check out our events page 

If you have any questions don't hesitate to contact us! 

Opening times for the shops vary from shop to shop

Opening times for the galleries:
Kogo gallery 

Wed – Fri / 1pm – 7pm
Sat / 1pm – 6pm

R Gallery (Karud ja Pojad)
Mon - Tue - Sun / closed
Wed - Fri / 12pm - 6pm
Sat / 12pm - 4pm

Aparaaditehas Balcony Gallery (above Fahrenheit 451)
Mon - Tue / closed
wed - Sat / 12pm - 6pm
Sun /  12pm-5pm

Opening times for the cafés and restaurants:
Aparaat 

Mon – Thu / 12pm – 11pm
Fri – Sat / 12pm – 12am
Sun  / 12pm – 6pm

Puente
Tue – Thu / 11:00am – 11pm
Fri – Sat/ 11:00am – 12am
Sun / 11:00am – 5am

Kolm Tilli

Mon– Thu / 9am – 11pm
Fri / 9am – 1am
Sat / 10am – 1am
Sun / 10am – 10pm

Cruffin
Mon - Sun / 10am - 6pm

Puhvet
Mon - Fri/  9am – 4pm
Sat / 10am-4pm
Sun / closed

See you at the factory!

HOW TO GET HERE

Our address is
Kastani 42, Tartu, 50410

TYPA centre is located at Kastani 48f

Plantarium, Köömen, Jopp Creative and some classrooms of Tartu Art School are located at Kastani 50.

We’re located:
750m from Tartu Train Station
1.5km from Tartu Bus Station
1.6km from the Town Hall Square

How to get here:
Buses nr 1, 2, 8, 10, 11, 12 stop in fron of Aparaaditehas (Pauluse bus stop)
Lux Express buses from Tallinn make a stop in front of Aparaaditehas before heading to the bus station.
Parking (see map below)

CONTACTS

Erki Pruul
Managing director
erki@aparaaditehas.ee
+372 5667 4704

Veiko Järvis
Administrative manager / Technical producer
veiko@aparaaditehas.ee
+372 5347 6050

Janetta Lukk
Armastuse saal / Sofa Hub / events
janetta@aparaaditehas.ee
+372 5677 5745

Urmas Laur
Founder
urmas@aparaaditehas.ee


Tadeusz Sobczyk
European Solidarity Corps volunteer
tadeusz@aparaaditehas.ee

PARKING