The Methodological Approaches of the Estonian Maritime Museum: The Future of Maritime Archaeological Research in Estonia and the Organisation

In the recent years, maritime archaeology research has broadened the possibilities of Estonian archaeologists, enabling them to look at the past from a maritime perspective. The Estonian Maritime Museum and its maritime archaeological team have been amongst those Estonian researchers of the nautical and maritime past who are also focused on preserving maritime heritage in Estonia and the Baltic Sea. Research into Estonian underwater, maritime, and nautical heritage has to be executed on a larger scale since the maritime archaeological research has only been applicable to certain researchers nationally. Further, the complex methodologies of maritime archaeology have increased the need to employ people with a certain set of skills, while support structures have to be implemented within their respective organisations, nationally and internationally. For this reason, this article will discuss the shortcomings, future developments and needs of maritime archaeology within the Estonian Maritime Museum. The article will compare methodologies related to policies, the ethics of research in Estonia, and scientific revolutions as proposed by Thomas Kuhn (1970).