The history of education in Valga dates back to the year 1639, when the existence of a school in Valga was documented for the first time. This long story includes boys' and girls' schools, educational ideas from different eras, and the people who have shaped the educational life of Valga and Valga County.

A special place in this story belongs to Marta Pärnal and other promoters of girls' education, whose activities opened up new opportunities for young women to study and realize themselves.
A separate chapter is dedicated to boys' schools and their role in shaping an educated and socially active generation. 

From the 1930s to the present day, educational life in Valga has undergone significant changes, reflecting the development of both Estonian society and the education system. The exhibition also highlights school buildings – places where generations have learned, taught, and shaped the future. 

An important part of the exhibition is dedicated to Hans Einer, whose 170th anniversary we celebrate this year, and whose name is among the key figures in the history of education in Valga. We also discuss vocational education in connection with the 120th anniversary of the Valga County Vocational Training Centre, emphasizing this long and important tradition in the region. 

One of the special parts of the exhibition is the recreation of a classroom from over 100 years ago, offering the opportunity to step back in time to when a school day looked very different from that of today. In the classroom, you can see period-specific school uniforms, report cards, teaching aids, and other items related to school life. Although there is no direct reference in the exhibition to the Livonia Parish Schoolteachers' Seminar led by Latvian pedagogue and musician Jānis Cimze, which operated in Valga 1849–1890, this German-language school also played an important role in the educational and cultural history of both Valga and Estonia. We recommend interested visitors to pay a visit also to Latvian-Valka Local History Museum, where a corresponding permanent exhibition is open. 

The story of education in Valga invites you to see how schools, teachers, learners, and bearers of education have shaped the face and spirit of Valga for nealy four centuries. The exhibition summarizes research on the history of education carried out at Valga Museum in recent decades. 

Our thanks for their help to Palamuse Museum, Estonian National Museum, Estonian Agricultural Museum, Helme Local History Museum, Indrek Zilensk, Heino Uibo.

Exhibition curators: Karin Varblane, Priit Riemann, Kaarel Vissel, and Rain Soosaar
Project manager: Neeme Punder
Graphic design: Tõnno Habicht