Sihtasutus Tartu Keskkonnahariduse Keskus

What Sihtasutus Tartu Keskkonnahariduse Keskus does

Sihtasutus Tartu Keskkonnahariduse Keskus, operating as Tartu loodusmaja (Tartu Nature House), is a non-profit foundation (Sihtasutus) established in Estonia in 1953 (re-registered as a foundation in 2002) that runs a physical environmental education center at Lille 10, Tartu. The facility includes an animal room, winter garden with exotic plants, and a park area, serving as a venue for school and kindergarten study programmes, hobby school (huvikool) classes for 500+ children annually, adult workshops in natural cosmetics and sustainability crafts, room rentals for events, and rotating exhibitions. The organization is the designated national coordinator for the Eco-Schools (Rohelise kooli) programme in Estonia, covering approximately 250 educational institutions, and the UNESCO Associated Schools Network's Baltic Sea Project.

The organization's revenue model is a hybrid of project-based institutional grants and direct fees. Grant funding flows from SA Keskkonnainvesteeringute Keskus (KIK), Interreg Estonia-Latvia, Erasmus+, Nordplus Horizontal, EEA and Norway Grants, the Nordic Council of Ministers, and other public funders, with individual project budgets ranging from €60,000 (QualitE) to €495,440 (GreenMind). Direct revenue streams include visitor entrance fees, hobby school tuition (enrolled through the Stuudium/Arno platform), fee-based study programmes for schools and kindergartens, room and facility rentals, and adult workshops. The Tech footprint is minimal and non-proprietary: a website (tartuloodusmaja.ee), email newsletter, social media presence (Facebook, Instagram), and the use of iNaturalist for citizen science data collection in cross-border projects. No proprietary software, AI, or app is described.

The go-to-market is community-led and direct-to-consumer hybrid, combining on-site visitor services, network-based program coordination across ~250 schools, and project-based outreach across the Baltic Sea region (Finland, Norway, Latvia, Sweden, Denmark, Lithuania, with prior Russian cooperation). The organization holds Green Flag and Green Office certifications, is a founding member of the Estonian Science Interest Education Union, and is a member of the Estonian Hobby Schools Union.

Name

Sihtasutus Tartu Keskkonnahariduse Keskus

Legal name

Sihtasutus Tartu Keskkonnahariduse Keskus

Website

https://tartuloodusmaja.ee

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Sihtasutus Tartu Keskkonnahariduse Keskus, operating as Tartu Nature House (Tartu loodusmaja), is a 70+ year Estonian foundation that runs an environmental education center serving children, families, and adults, and coordinates the national Eco-Schools programme covering ~250 educational institutions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Education Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPABALAK

Sustainability Engagement, Training & Behavior Change Programs (On-site)

Business & Public Services/Facilities Management & Building Services/Waste, Recycling & Sustainability Programs (On-site)

SECONDARYEDAEAAAF

Waste, Recycling & Sustainability Services

Education/Education Facilities & Support Services/School & Campus Facilities Management (Janitorial, Landscaping, Maintenance)

Keywords

• Environmental education services
• Nature center programs
• Eco schools coordination
• Hobby school education
• Adult sustainability training

Headquarters

HQ city

Tartu

HQ country

Estonia

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Visitor admissions and entrance fees: Revenue from ticket sales for entrance to Tartu Nature House, with admission via house ticket (majapilet). Summer and regular opening hours are maintained.
2. Hobby school tuition: Annual enrollment fees for hobby school (huvikool) courses serving children and youth, with registration managed through the Arno system and pre-registration for returning students.
3. Study programmes for schools and kindergartens: Fee-based educational programmes delivered on-site and remotely for kindergarten and school groups, coordinated across Tartu city and county institutions.
4. Room and facility rentals: Rental of seminar halls, meeting rooms, and fully-equipped kitchens for events, cooking classes, birthdays, and corporate functions.
5. Workshops and trainings for adults: Fee-based workshops including natural cosmetics, beeswax candle making, beeswax wrap making, natural dyeing, canvas bag designing, and other sustainability-themed hands-on sessions for adult participants.
6. Project-based funding and grants: Coordinated national and international projects funded by SA Keskkonnainvesteeringute Keskus (KIK), Nordplus, Erasmus+, Interreg Estonia-Latvia, EEA and Norway Grants, Nordic Council of Ministers, and other institutional funders.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sihtasutus Tartu Keskkonnahariduse Keskus (Tartu loodusmaja / Tartu Nature House) is a non-profit foundation operating an environmental education center in Tartu, Estonia. It delivers nature-based hobby school courses for children and youth, fee-based study programmes for schools and kindergartens, adult workshops on sustainability topics, on-site visitor admissions, room rentals, and coordinates national networks including the Eco-Schools (Rohelise kooli) programme for ~250 Estonian institutions and the UNESCO Baltic Sea Project.

Product overview

Sihtasutus Tartu Keskkonnahariduse Keskus (Tartu Nature House) operates as a multi-faceted environmental education center offering a unified portfolio of educational services. The core offerings include the Huvikool (Hobby School) providing nature-based extracurricular activities for over 500 children annually, the Koolituskeskus (Training Centre) delivering adult education courses on sustainability topics, and Õppeprogrammid (Study Programmes) for formal educational institutions. Supporting services include room rentals for events, themed birthday celebrations, rotating exhibitions with audio tours, and online quiz competitions (viktoriinid). The organization also coordinates international cooperation projects such as CoCoRiCo, OUTWISE, Rohelise kooli programm (Eco-Schools), and UNESCO Baltic Sea Project, which extend its educational mission beyond the physical facility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tartu loodusmaja huvikool: The hobby school of Tartu Nature House, offering nature-themed extracurricular activities for children and youth.

Products and services

• Tartu loodusmaja Huvikool (Hobby School) Environmental education hobby school for children and youth offering nature exploration, wildlife studies, ornithology, and science camps. Serves over 500 children annually with diverse activities teaching environmental stewardship.
• Koolituskeskus (Training Centre) Adult education center providing environmental courses, workshops, and training sessions on nature, sustainability, and eco-friendly practices including natural cosmetics, beeswax crafts, and composting.
• Õppeprogrammid (Study Programmes) Active learning programmes for kindergartens and schools that help children discover nature and ecological connections through hands-on outdoor education.
• Ruumide rent (Room Rentals) Rental of seminar halls, meeting rooms, and fully-equipped kitchens for events, workshops, and celebrations.
• Sünnipäevad ja üritused (Birthdays and Events) Environmental-themed birthday celebrations and events for children and adults at the nature house facility.
• Näitused (Exhibitions) Various exhibitions on environmental themes including current park exhibition 'Loomad pildis' (Animals in Pictures) featuring Tallinn Zoo photos with audio tours by zoologists.
• Veebiviktoriinid (Web Quizzes) Online quiz competitions on environmental topics including exotic animals, winter wildlife, Baltic Sea knowledge, and invasive species.

Quantifiable outcome

• ~250 educational institutions served through Eco-Schools programme
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Läti Hüdroekoloogia Instituut (LHEI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Latvian Hydroecology Institute is a research partner in the CoCoRiCo project, providing laboratory analysis of microplastic samples collected by students during citizen science fieldwork in cross-border rivers.
• Balti Keskkonnafoorum-Läti (BEF-Latvia)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Baltic Environment Forum-Latvia leads the CoCoRiCo project management and coordinates cross-border cooperation between Estonia and Latvia on water protection, plastic pollution reduction, and biodiversity conservation.
• Helsinki Recycling Centre (Pääkaupunkiseudun Kierrätyskeskus Oy)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Helsinki Recycling Centre is the Finnish cooperation partner in the QualitE project (2024), working with Tartu Nature House to develop environmental education quality assessment tools and circular economy curricula.
• Foundation for Environmental Education Latvia (FEE Latvia)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2020FEE Latvia is the lead partner in the Baltic Youth Eco Hub project (Nordic Council of Ministers), working with Tartu Nature House to strengthen youth and teacher networks across the Baltic Sea region.
• MTÜ Peipsi Koostöö Keskus (Peipsi Center for Transboundary Cooperation)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2019Peipsi Center for Transboundary Cooperation is a key Estonian partner in the GreenMind project (Eesti-Vene piiriülene koostöö programm 2014-2020), collaborating on environmental education in the Peipsi/Chudskoye lake region.
• Põskova Piirkond Laste ja Noorte Arengu Keskus (Pskov Region Center for Gifted Children and Youth Development)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2019Russian partner in the GreenMind project, contributing to cross-border environmental education cooperation between Estonia and Russia in the Peipsi region.
• Peipsi Järve Projekt (Lake Peipsi Project)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2019Lake Peipsi Project (Põskova, Russia) serves as the lead partner in the GreenMind project, coordinating the overall project implementation for environmental education in the Peipsi/Chudskoye cross-border region.
• Ventspils High Technology ParkminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Ventspils High Technology Park (Latvia) is a project partner in the Energy Advice project, contributing to cross-border energy savings education for school pupils.
• Eesti Teadushuvihariduse LiitmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Tartu Nature House is a founding member of the Estonian Science Interest Education Union, contributing to the broader ecosystem of science education in Estonia.
• Eesti Huvikoolide LiitmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Tartu Nature House hobby school is a member of the Estonian Hobby Schools Union, representing interest-based extracurricular education for children and youth.
• Gauja Rahvuspark (Läti)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2006Gauja National Park (Latvia) was a partner in the Nature Learning (2006-2007) cross-border cooperation project on nature education.
• Stiftelsen FEE NorwaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFEE Norway (Foundation for Environmental Education Norway) is a key cooperation partner in the Eco-Schools network collaboration project, working with Tartu Nature House on climate awareness and sustainability education through network-based cooperation.
• ~250 Eco-Schools member institutions in EstoniacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerApproximately 250 schools and kindergartens across Estonia participate in the Eco-Schools programme coordinated by Tartu Nature House, forming the core customer and beneficiary network.
• MTÜ MondominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMondo NGO is involved as a cooperation partner in UNESCO Baltic Sea Project activities coordinated by Tartu Nature House.
• UNESCO Eesti Rahvuslik Komisjon (UNESCO Estonian National Commission)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe UNESCO Estonian National Commission is a project partner in UNESCO Associated Schools Network and Baltic Sea Project activities, providing institutional support and international framework alignment.
• Goethe InstituutminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Goethe Institute co-supports UNESCO Baltic Sea Project activities, contributing to the international dimension of environmental education programming.
• Eesti Õpilasesinduste LiitminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstonian Student Representations Union is a project partner in UNESCO Baltic Sea Project activities, engaging student representation in environmental education.
• Soome Loodus- ja Keskkonnakoolide Võrgustik (LYKE)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinnish Network of Nature and Environmental Schools is a cooperation partner in the OUTWISE Nordplus project, contributing expertise in outdoor learning methodologies.
• Palupõhja looduskoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPalupõhja Nature School is a long-standing partner in multiple educational projects, contributing to outdoor education programme development and teacher training.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights10 records

Direct peers

• Palupõhja looduskool: Estonian nature school and long-standing cooperation partner of Tartu Nature House in multiple educational projects (OUTWISE, CoCoRiCo). Operates a similar nature education model with outdoor learning programs for school groups and teacher training, making it the closest domestic peer.
• Helsinki Recycling Centre (Pääkaupunkiseudun Kierrätyskeskus Oy): Finnish environmental education partner in the QualitE project (Erasmus+, 2024). Operates circular-economy education programmes with similar audience (adults, schools) and content overlap in sustainability workshops.
• Tallinn Zoo: Estonia's principal zoological park, combining live animal exhibits with public environmental education programming. Tartu Nature House's animal room and park area echo the zoo model on a smaller scale, and both serve overlapping visitor segments (families, school groups) in Estonia.
• LYKE — Finnish Network of Nature and Environmental Schools: Finnish national network of nature and environmental schools, and a cooperation partner in the OUTWISE Nordplus project. Operates a near-identical coordinator model for outdoor learning and environmental education, making it the closest cross-Nordic functional peer.
• Estonian Museum of Natural History: National natural history museum in Tallinn, offering exhibitions and educational programmes on Estonian biodiversity and environmental themes. Operates in the same environmental education niche as Tartu Nature House, though with a more formal museum model.

Regional players

• Bergen Aquarium (Akvariet i Bergen): Norwegian public aquarium combining live animal exhibits with environmental education programming. Functionally comparable to the Tartu Nature House animal-room model, but serving a different Nordic geography with substantially larger visitor throughput.
• Copenhagen Zoo: Major Nordic zoological institution with extensive school programmes, citizen science, and sustainability education. Comparable in combining live animals with structured environmental learning, but operating at substantially greater scale and broader geographic reach in Denmark.
• Naturskolan i Sverige (Swedish Nature Schools Network): Swedish national network of municipal nature schools coordinated via the Naturskoleföreningen. Operates a near-identical model to Tartu Nature House's Eco-Schools coordination role, but within Sweden's municipal system rather than as a standalone foundation.

Others

• Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) International: International umbrella organization that owns the Eco-Schools/Green Flag programme brand operated by Tartu Nature House in Estonia. Provides programme standards, training, and certification rather than competing directly, but is the upstream licensor of the foundation's flagship mandate.

Broad incumbents

• Luomus — Finnish Museum of Natural History: Finland's national natural history museum and university-affiliated institution running biodiversity education programmes, citizen science platforms, and exhibitions. Operates in the same environmental education domain at significantly larger scale and broader scientific remit.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/tartuloodusmaja
• Instagraminstagram.com/roheline_loodusmaja

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sihtasutus Tartu Keskkonnahariduse Keskus