The small opening ceremony was attended by Valdo Halling, the designer of the Tarbatu caravan, as well as Aavo Ladva, one of the builders and owners of a Tarbatu caravan.
The centrepiece of the exhibition is the self-built Tarbatu caravan, constructed between 1986 and 1988 by Aavo Ladva, largely with the help of his family. Tarbatu was created at a time when travel enthusiasts had to rely on their own skills, creativity and resourcefulness due to limited opportunities and shortages.
Following the drawings and guidance of Valdo Halling, around twenty Tarbatu caravans with aluminium structures were built in Southern Estonia during the 1980s.
The renewed exhibition also introduces the development of caravan culture in Estonia and highlights the ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit of home builders. Alongside Tarbatu, visitors can see the caravan built by the Salode family in 1983 and a 1967 Moskvich 408 passenger car, which tells the story of its owner Aavo Lauri’s dedication and life with a car during the Soviet era.
The renewed caravan exhibition at the Estonian Road Museum is open to visitors every day, Monday to Sunday, from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.
