Koskenjalan kenkä- ja nahkamuseo

About the museum

The Koskenjalan kenkä- ja nahkamuseo operates at Korkeakoski in Juupajoki, in the premises of a former heel and last factory. Originally, a water-powered mill, a tannery and the first sawmill operated at the rapids, and the tannery burned down twice, in 1895 and 1896. Finland's first shoe factory, founded by Edward Wallenius, began operating in 1897 and was expanded in 1916. The main factory building took its present form in the 1950s. After the leather industry ended, heels and lasts were made in the premises of the lower factory.

When the shoe industry at Korkeakoski came to an end, the premises stood empty, and an association-based museum opened its doors in 1985. The collections include more than a thousand pairs of shoes, as well as tools, photographs and machines. The museum tells the story of the founding of the tannery in 1894 and of the mechanised shoe factory three years later, and visitors can also see a 1940s workers' flat.

The Vuoden kengät (Shoes of the Year) display case contains shoes of well-known Finns, for example those of Katri Helena and President Mauno Koivisto. For children there is their own exhibition, Kengät saduissa (Shoes in Fairy Tales), which features, among other things, Cinderella's shoe and Puss in Boots's boot. The museum has an art gallery attached, which hosts changing art exhibitions in summer.

Highlights

• Museum of Finland's first industrial shoe factory
• More than a thousand pairs of shoes
• 1940s workers' flat
• Vuoden kengät (Shoes of the Year) display case
• Children's exhibition Kengät saduissa (Shoes in Fairy Tales)
• Juupajoki gorge nearby

Permanent exhibition

• Koskenjalan kenkä- ja nahkamuseon perusnäyttely – The exhibition tells the history of Finland's first industrial shoe factory, the machines of the industrial era and the housing of the shoe factory's workers.

Founded

1985

Operated by

Koskenjalan yhdistys

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Admission is free.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

For children there is their own exhibition, Kengät saduissa, and the museum offers other activities for children during the visit.

Getting there & parking

From Tampere about 55 km towards Mänttä on roads 9 and 58. Signposted also from road 66 to Korkeakoski (Juupajoki gorge).

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

There is a shop at the museum.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit