News
Finland's oldest and most extensive fishing heritage will be donated to the Wilderness Museum Foundation of Finland in Imatra
The Finnish Wilderness and Nature Culture Museum project will take a significant step forward when the Finnish Fishing Museum Association will hand over its nationally significant collections to the Wilderness Museum Foundation of Finland. The donation provides an important historical and cultural foundation for the future museum.
The complex history of the collection
The unique collection has already seen colourful phases in three different centuries. In the future, more and more people will be able to explore the treasures of the collections. The Finnish Fishing Museum was already active in the centre of Helsinki from the late 1800s onwards. The lively museum collected, catalogued, and presented material from the fishing industry. Preserving the heritage of fishing was important alongside the collection of new information and the development of fisheries, just as it was in the 2020s. When the Civil War broke out, the Fishing Museum had to be closed down when the premises had to be unexpectedly abandoned. The activity never resumed permanently. The museum's last permanent exhibition was on display in 1920.
In the second half of the 20th century, there have been several attempts to establish a special museum of fishing, which would be responsible for both the Fishing Museum's collection and take responsibility for the national cultural heritage of its subject area on a museum professional basis. The Fishing Museum Association, founded in 1978, has managed and inventoried the collection and stored a large amount of artefact and photographic material alongside the old collection, striving to take into account the rapid development of fishing in the 20th century.
"It's really great that our association's materials can finally be displayed in the place they deserve. This has been the wish of our association for several decades and finally there is light in sight at the end of the tunnel. Together with the Wilderness Museum Foundation, we will continue to highlight Finnish fishing culture in the spirit of the old fishing museum, taking into account the present," says Stina Koivisto, Chair of the Fishing Museum Association.
Towards a museum of the future
One of the key themes of the planned Museum of Wilderness and Nature Culture is fishing and lake nature. Fishing culture is a natural part of Imatra: Saimaa, Vuoksi and the Antrea net discovery indicate significance on a national level. The already advanced museum plans will be refined in terms of exhibition and collection work, for which the donation will indicate the direction both in terms of content and concreteness. The collection includes e.g. fishing gear, nets, recreational fishing equipment and old scale models. Parts of the collection will be on display even before the actual Wilderness Museum opens, both virtually and in miniature exhibitions. In due course, the collections will move to the Imatra City Hall, where top-level museum facilities are currently being planned with a large design team.
More information:
the Wilderness Museum Foundation of Finland: executive producer Laura Kokki, laura.kokki@eramuseo.fi
the Finnish Fishing Museum Association: Chair, Stina Koivisto, stina.koivisto@eslu.fi
The free-flowing Hiitolanjoki exhibition opens at the Maretarium Aquarium
The new summer exhibition presents the story of the liberation of the Hiitolanjoki rapids through unique photographs and in-depth texts and maps. The theme of the Maretarium Aquarium House in 2025 is the restoration of waterways.
The exhibition features nearly 30 stunning works by six photographers that depict change, events and the current state in a restored flowing water environment. The municipality of Rautjärvi has been a pioneer in the release of rapids from hydropower production, and the Hiitolanjoki River is the first of its kind in Finland on this scale. The purpose of the exhibition is to present the comprehensive, positive effects of restoration at a nationally and internationally significant site. One of the concrete goals of the project is to establish the place of wild landlocked salmon in Finland's species. This rare fish species is now also available at the Maretarium.
The exhibition's partner, the Wilderness Museum Foundation of Finland, is planning a museum in Imatra that deals with man's relationship with nature. The free-flowing Hiitolanjoki exhibition also opens up the exhibition activities of the Wilderness Museum Foundation of Finland and supports the goals of the future museum as a presenter of biodiversity and a promoter of a relationship with nature that supports well-being.
The organisers of the exhibition are delighted with the diverse cooperation between different actors on an important and topical topic. It is hoped that the exhibition will increase interest in fishing tourism in Kymenlaakso and South Karelia and encourage visitors to participate in restoration efforts and new development projects.
The exhibition has been designed and written by Mikko Europaeus, a long-time specialist on the Hiitolanjoki River and a river warrior. Piia Holappa, Communications Coordinator of the Municipality of Rautjärvi, is responsible for the graphic design. The exhibition is organised by the Maretarium Aquarium House, the Wilderness Museum Foundation of Finland, the Municipality of Rautjärvi and the Hiitolanjoki Association.
The exhibition is open all summer 3.6.-31.8.2025, Maretarium, Sapokankatu 2, 48100, Kotka.
More information:
CEO Sari Saukkonen, Maretarium, 040-3110331
executive producer Laura Kokki, the Wilderness Museum Foundation of Finland, 044-7096674
Architectural design of the Museum of Wilderness and Nature Culture begins
In 2021, Imatra was chosen as the location of the Finnish Wilderness and Natural History Museum as the winner of a national competition. The museum project will take a step forward during the spring when the architectural design of the museum begins. The plans are expected to be completed this year.
The activities of the Wilderness and Nature Culture Museum to be built in Imatra will focus on fishing, hiking and wilderness culture
The Finnish Hunting Museum Association, which was one of the original project partners, will continue its own established museum activities in Riihimäki.
The plans for the Wilderness and Nature Culture Museum planned for Imatra have been further developed during the past autumn to find more space-efficient and cost-effective alternatives.
"It has been important to adjust the plans, because in challenging, financially difficult times, the realism of new projects must be handled responsibly and with special care. As a very positive thing at the end of the year, we can say that we are included in the draft programme for Eastern Finland as a proposal for action," says Tea Laitimo, Managing Director of the Wilderness Museum Foundation of Finland.
New solutions have been found and the vision of implementing a new, unique entity for the Imatra City Hall has become clearer. The Finnish Hunting Museum Association, which was one of the original project partners, will continue its own established museum activities in Riihimäki.
Regional strengths and meaningful content as the cornerstone
The themes of the centre to be built in Imatra will include hiking, fishing, nature and fishing tourism, lake nature, gathering of natural products and wilderness culture in general. The themes are also strengths of Finnish tourism and topics of international interest.
"The perspective of living heritage is currently renewing traditional museum thinking. Living heritage plays a key role in wilderness and nature culture, and it enables the implementation of a completely new kind of museum concept," says Leena Paaskoski, Member of the Board of the Wilderness Museum Foundation of Finland and Professor of Practice in Museology at the University of Jyväskylä.
From the very beginning, the concept has sought a strong partner network with various actors, and this emphasis will also be continued in the coming year towards the business world and educational institutions.
A modern center is developing in Imatra, where visitors can experience experiential museum exhibitions, buy or rent equipment and buy nature tourism services all year round. The service package is complemented by a restaurant and specialty shops, among other things.
"From the city's point of view, it is positive that the overall picture of the new Wilderness Museum has now become clearer, and the uncertainties surrounding the project are decreasing. The development of Vuoksi and fishing tourism play a strong role in the city's strategy, and in that respect, the change will open many new doors," says Mayor Matias Hilden.
The city of Imatra, which won the locality competition in 2021, is strongly committed to the project and will continue the development work of the center to be built in the current city hall. The architectural design will be completed during 2025.
The Finnish Fishing Museum Association, among others, is involved in the development work.
"The Finnish Fishing Museum Association and the Wilderness Museum Foundation of Finland will continue to plan the Museum of Wilderness and Nature Culture in Imatra. The Imatra City Hall and the shore of the Vuoksi River offer an excellent setting for the presentation of fishing culture and additional services related to fishing. The association's wish is to finally have its collection on display and in the preservation it deserves," says Stina Koivisto, Chair of the Fishing Museum Association.
More information:
CEO Tea Laitimo
p. 0400 156 677
tea.laitimo@imatra.fi
tea.laitimo@eramuseo.fi