The best museums Eastern Finland Province

Reopened in the summer of 2011 after long renovations, the museum is dedicated to bringing to life the unique tradition and history of a region at the crossroads between West and East. It hosts a permanent exhibition whose title "Karelia on both sides of the border" is self-explanatory, as well as the importance of the sauna. There are also temporary exhibitions. The Carelicum cultural centre also houses the tourist office and a very nice café.

The museum houses Martti Airio's private collection, which he bequeathed on his death. It features works by Finnish painters from 1870 to 1990, including artists from the Septem Group and the November Group. Upstairs, you'll find sculptures by Johannes Haapasalo (1880-1965), a pupil of Rodin. Some of these are scattered around downtown Mikkeli. There are also temporary exhibitions showcasing young local artists.

Created in 1982, the museum presents the evolution of the Finnish infantry from the 1890s to the present day. The permanent exhibitions are very interesting around the history: that of the road to independence in 1918, then the years 1920-1930 before treating more particularly the Second World War. It's not only for history buffs! We advise you to book a guide in advance... South of the Infantry Museum, in Urpola, continue your visit by taking a look at the nature park (Luontokeskus).

The museum is located in the former school from which Field Marshal Mannerheim and his staff led the military operations against the Soviets. During the Second World War, the Finnish General Staff was based in Mikkeli. The town was ideally situated for the commanders, as it was at a good distance from all the fronts. On the spot, you can see the Marshal's office and an audio-visual programme on the activities of the General Staff.

The museum offers a collection of 400 mechanical musical instruments from around the world. A guided tour in English (1 hour) is included in the entrance fee. It was born from Liisa and Jürgen Kempf's passion for music and antiques. Originally from Germany, the couple were used to this type of museum in their home country and when they arrived in Finland, they wanted to share their passions. The museum was opened in 1981 with, at the beginning, 70 instruments on display.

It is one of the most important open-air museums in the country. You will discover many old houses from the 19th century and objects of all kinds... Ideal to impregnate oneself with the daily life of the local people. If you want to immerse yourself in the history and way of life of the inhabitants of Lieksa in another era, you can opt for a guided tour! The tour is particularly enjoyable with children on sunny days so that they can make the most of the outdoors.

The museum helps to understand the importance of the forest and its resources to the country and the region before the industrial take-off. The museum tour includes a visit to the nearby museum boats. In the lobby is the Nestori Center, which features permanent and temporary nature exhibits and information on hiking and canoeing in the area. Museum shop on site with postcards, natural objects...

The museum, housed in a beautiful wooden building, is a veritable house of forest culture, attracting 30,000 visitors every year. A permanent exhibition presents the essential role of the forest through the ages in Finland and the interactions between man and nature. The history and traditions of past generations are brought to life in a film. The museum also has a store and a good restaurant. It is currently being renovated.

In the centre of Joensuu, near the market, this museum introduces you to Finnish, Chinese, Roman and European religious art... from the 1850s to the present day. There are also permanent collections devoted to Etruscan and Chinese art. The highlight of the visit is the superb collection of icons and paintings by the great Finnish masters: Lindholm, Edelfeldt, Enckell, Gallèn-Kallela... Temporary exhibitions are also organised.

Located south of Market Square, the open-air museum focuses on the daily life of the people of Kuopio between the 19th century and the 1930s. For this purpose, a group of 11 traditional wooden houses has been preserved, the oldest dating from the late 1700s. The interiors of the houses show the lifestyle of the Finns between the 1800s and 1930s. See also the Pharmacy Museum and photos of the city in the early 20th century.

Opened in 1957, this superb museum, the only one of its kind in Europe, bears witness to the influence of Orthodox Christianity in Karelia and more widely in Finland. The magnificent collection of icons, veritable jewels of silver and silverware, sometimes set with pearls and precious stones, comes largely from the monasteries of Valamo and Konevitsa, located on Lake Ladoga, and Petsamo, near the icy Arctic Ocean. The annexation of these territories by the USSR in 1944 led to the exile of hundreds of thousands of people. The monks saved what they could of the Orthodox treasures. On two floors, you can also admire beautiful religious objects and liturgical ornaments. See in particular the icon of the Virgin of Smolensk (1840) and the silver psalter (1762, Saint Petersburg). Also note the splendid gold-brocaded priestly vestments and the magnificent mitres. Note also the embroidered cover offered in 1551 by two bodyguards of Ivan the Terrible, a miniature iconostasis by Konevitsa (more than 200 figures painted in great detail). Also surprising are the heavy metal chains that some monks and hermits of Valamo secretly wore under their clothes. The final touch to the visit is the museum's pretty little church. Numerous permanent and temporary exhibitions also complete the collections. Cafeteria on site for a meal or coffee break.

The Kuopio Art Museum is housed in a former bank and the main themes of the collections and exhibitions revolve around Finnish artists from the late 19th century to the present day - who have mainly worked on themes related to nature and the environment. You will see how visual perception and emotional experience alternate in the artists' modes of representation, with a real impact of prevailing ideologies on their work. Temporary exhibition also.