On his 95th birthday on 2 June, mountaineer Olaf Sööt is opening a new exhibition “On Mountain Trails from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego“ at the Tallinn Botanic Garden’s Palm House, inviting everyone to experience a part of his travels.
The precision of an engineer, the spirit of a traveller and the keen eye of a nature photographer – over the decades, these three traits have carried Olaf Sööt across mountains and great distances, taking him from Alaska to Patagonia, from the Arctic to Antarctica.
Endless expanses and intimate moments, the pristine beauty of nature and man’s seeking spirit come together in the exhibition’s photographs. These are stories of light and shadow, of tall peaks and deep valleys, of the silence of mountains and the drama of stormy skies. Olaf's decades-long journey across mountains, seas and corners of the world are captured in images that tell stories of the grandeur of nature, the courage of dreams and the warmth of friendship.
On his journeys, Olaf has been accompanied by his dear wife Gitta, as well as good friends Jüri Tint and Rein Grabbi. Together, they have travelled to places where few go – where the winds sing and the mountains speak the language of ancient times. Every photograph in this exhibition carries with it memory, gratitude, patience and a genuine joy in discovering, noticing and recording.
The opening of the exhibition will also include a screening of Olaf's poetic multimedia presentation "McKinley and Furthest Alaska” – a panoramic film of mountain splendour, solitude and light.
The opening of the exhibition will be on 2 June 2025 at 14:00 in the Palm House of Tallinn Botanic Garden (Kloostrimetsa tee 52).
The exhibition will remain open until 31 July.
The Tallinn Botanic Garden’s Palm House is open every day at 11:00-19:00.
Founded in 1961, the Tallinn Botanic Garden is a research, educational and cultural institution that focuses on the protection and introduction of plants. It is situated on a 40-hectare area next to the Pirita River Valley. In total, around 8500 plant species grow here in open air and in greenhouses. The mission of the Tallinn Botanic Garden is to preserve, develop and introduce rich plant collections and herbaria and carry out research and nature education work to preserve and increase biodiversity. Tallinn Botanic Garden aims to be an advocate for a modern, environmentally-conscious mindset and the promotion of garden and landscape design.
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