Kainuun Museo
The Kainuun Museo, the regional museum in Kajaani, presents the history of Kainuu and the lives of its people over 10,000 years in its permanent exhibition.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Kainuun Museo is a regional museum for the province, operating in Kajaani. Its collections have been built up since the 1930s through collecting activity and donations. The collections consist of object and photograph collections, as well as a museum archive and archive library, and they contain everyday life in Kainuu from different decades.
The museum’s permanent exhibition offers an overview of the history of the area and of the lives of the people of Kainuu over 10,000 years. It begins with the prehistory and finds of the region, takes visitors through the stages of Kajaani Castle and self-sufficient everyday life to the early stages of Kainuu’s industrialisation, and tells how Kajaani grew from a small wooden town into the provincial centre. The exhibits are mainly from the museum’s own collections, and some have been loaned from, among others, the Kansallismuseo (National Museum of Finland).
The texts of the permanent exhibition are in Finnish and English. The museum also hosts about three or four large changing exhibitions a year, as well as small exhibitions in the gallery room.
Highlights
- Kainuu’s history from prehistory to the present day
- Värikallio rock painting in Suomussalmi and the Ämmä ironworks
- Stages of Kajaani Castle and the growth of the town
- Early stages of Kainuu’s industrialisation
- Virtual tour of the permanent exhibition online
Permanent exhibition
- Kainuun Museon perusnäyttely – The permanent exhibition tells of the history of Kainuu and the lives of its people over 10,000 years, from prehistory to industrialisation.
- Founded
- 1930
- Operated by
- Kajaanin kaupunki
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Admission to the museum is free. Museokortti (Finnish Museum Card) is accepted. Group visits on weekdays 8:00–16:00 are free of charge; for group visits outside office hours a fee of €100 per visit is charged.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator
- Accessible restroom
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The step-free entrance is at the main entrance, and a doorbell can be used to call staff for help. Ramps will be installed on the steps of the vestibule if necessary. The museum’s exhibitions can be visited by wheelchair, and there is a step-free lift to the exhibition spaces for changing exhibitions on the second floor. The customer toilet is on the first floor and has a folding changing table. The entrance hall has lockable storage lockers, and a magnifying glass can be borrowed from the ticket desk.
Kids & families
- Stroller-friendly
- Baby changing facilities
Pushchairs can be borrowed from the entrance hall, and the toilet has a folding changing table.
Getting there & parking
By car
Parking available
Customer parking is on Asemakatu, near the main entrance. There are also coach parking spaces on the street.
Amenities & dining
- Museum shop
- Lockers
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| School programs | yes |
| Good to know | The museum can be visited independently during opening hours. Group visits are possible independently or with a guide, including outside opening hours; a guided tour must be requested a week before the visit, and groups of more than 25 people are recommended to split up. |
