In 2023, the large-scale reconstruction project of the Western Courtyard at Narva Castle came to an end.

This project, ER3, was supported by the Estonian EU External Border Programme and led by Narva Museum. 

The main objective of project ER3 was to enhance the business and living environment by boosting the competitiveness of Narva Castle as a cultural and tourism product. Through the restoration of historical heritage and making it more accessible to the public, the project's activities helped to create better conditions for local and regional SMEs, benefiting from an increase in tourist numbers.

According to Maria Smorževskihh-Smirnova, Director of Narva Museum, these works are very significant. "The project resulted in the restoration of an important historical heritage for Estonia and made Narva Castle more accessible to the public, which helps increase tourist numbers in the region and boosts local businesses."

The ER3 project, co-funded by the Estonian EU External Border Programme, lasted 52 months and had a total cost of about €5.93 million. The budget of the Narva Museum is 4,262,091,52 euros, of which the EU support is 3,697,790.60 euros.

DG REGIO website

Project ER3 is implemented under the European Neighbourhood Instrument and co-financed by the European Union

The main reconstruction project was designed by JVR Architectural Bureau and the construction was carried out by Scandec Ehitus OÜ. ER3 project manager:Jüri Moor, Juri.Moor@narvamuuseum.ee

As a result of the reconstruction work of Narva Castle, which started in January 2018 as part of the project "Opening of the Border Castle Discovery Centre" funded by the European Regional Development Fund, a fully restored convention building with a new permanent exhibition was opened in the summer of 2020. Now visitors can access the previously closed eastern wing and the gallery along the wall ridge of the convention building, while two lifts facilitate movement in the stairwells.
The final stage of the complete restoration of Narva Castle began with the development plan of Narva Castle, which was completed in 2007. It included the restoration of the convention building, the creation of a new exposition focused on the history of the castle, the restoration of the western yard and the opening of the south-western tower and the Kriservall casemate to visitors. In 2015, an architectural competition was organized to find a complete solution based on the development plan, which was won by the design "Two Friends". In 2016, the Narva Castle reconstruction project "Opening of the Border Castle Discovery Centre" received 3.54 million euros from the European Regional Development Fund, and in 2018 construction work began. The renewed Narva Castle opened to visitors in the summer of 2020.

The Narva Museum project "Opening the discovery centre of border security" received a grant of 3.54 million euros from the European Regional Development Fund in 2016 from the measure to strengthen the competitiveness of the regions. This made it possible to implement in three years the plans we have been planning since 2007.

The aim of the project is to create an environment in the fortress, which offers the visitor the opportunity to discover the story of the fort itself - who ruled the fortress at different times, who lived here on a daily basis and what task someone performed, how the fortress was built and why it was built, how the fortress was protected in war and how the fortress protected the city, etc. etc. In the course of the project, we will complete the restoration work that has been completed in the last century and open the entire castle to visitors with all our socks.

This means that we will fix and open to visitors the eastern wing of the castle´s convention building, which has not been accessed by anyone but the museum staff so far. With the completion of the restoration work, exciting wall walks, vaults and wall galleries will become accessible, which are now home only to pigeons and construction debris. The East Wing will have exhibition rooms as well as conference and event halls. The courtyard of the convention building, which currently has no special function, becomes a pleasant place where performances and concerts are organized. Even in the case of rain, because if necessary, we can apply a temporary awning to the courtyard.

The current 30-year-old permanent exhibition, which discusses the history of the city, is replaced by new content based on game theory, the main theme of which is Narva Castle and the main exhibit of which is the castle itself. The area of the new permanent exhibition is at least one quarter larger than the existing one. At least 50% of the castle´s premises, including the core of the permanent exhibition, will become accessible to people with special needs/mobility disabilities who are currently unfortunately unable to move around the castle.

These changes affect not only the museum, but also the city of Narva and the county as a whole. We are doing everything we can to at least double the number of visitors to the museum. This gives an impulse to develop local businesses and create new jobs, including in the museum itself. In fact, our ambition is even greater. To put it mildly, we want to become the most fierce stronghold on the Baltic Sea.