Kuurojen museo
A museum presenting the cultural heritage of Finland’s deaf and sign-language users, whose exhibition is in the lobby of Valkea talo in Haaga, Helsinki.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The idea of a museum for deaf people arose at the beginning of the 20th century, when John Sundberg, travel secretary of the Finnish Association of the Deaf (Kuurojen Liitto), began planning a museum in Finland. The museum’s beginnings are dated to 1907, when Fritz and Maria Hirn donated photographs and material to it. The first exhibition room opened to the public on 12 February 1915 on Rikhardinkatu in Helsinki.
From 1987 to 2011 the museum operated in the premises of the Finnish Association of the Deaf in Valkea talo in Helsinki. From the beginning of 2012 it became part of the Työväenmuseo Werstas (Workers’ Museum Werstas) in Tampere, where its collections and office are now located. Its activities now take place mainly online, and an online museum tells the history of deaf people and sign language.
A new public exhibition opened in the lobby of Valkea talo in October 2024. It presents historical objects and pictures about schools, vocational training, associations, leisure time and family life. The exhibition has videos and interactive sections, and it presents deaf art and culture from over a hundred years, from the sign-language choir to the rapper Signmark. The texts are in Finnish, Swedish and sign language, and the English texts can be found behind a QR code.
Highlights
- The history of deaf people through objects and pictures
- Videos and interactive sections
- Texts in Finnish, Swedish and sign language
- From the sign-language choir to Signmark: deaf culture over more than a hundred years
- Free admission
Permanent exhibition
- Kuurojen museon näyttely – The exhibition in the lobby of Valkea talo presents the history of deaf people, schools, associations and sign-language culture through objects, pictures and videos.
- Founded
- 1907
- Operated by
- Työväenmuseo Werstas ja Kuurojen Liitto
Admission & discounts
Admission is free.
Admission is free.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible
- Elevator: no information
- Accessible restroom: no information
- Accessible parking: no information
- Service dogs welcome: no information
- Tactile models & exhibits: no information
- Sign language tours: no information
- Easy-to-read materials: no information
- Audio description: no information
The building’s automatic doors are 92 cm wide when one door is open and 188 cm when two doors are open; the threshold is under 3 cm. The exhibition’s double doors are 98 cm wide (one door open) or 166 cm (both doors open), and there is no threshold. The exhibition door can be opened with buttons from both the outside and the inside. The routes in the exhibition are 90–120 cm wide. The exhibition has videos in sign language and texts.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
Haagan ammattikoulu
By commuter train to Huopalahti station and from there by bus 41 to the Haagan ammattikoulu stop, or about a 10-minute walk. Bus 40 runs from Elielinaukio to the Haagan ammattikoulu stop in front of Valkea talo.
Amenities & dining
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | Group guided tours can be enquired about from the museum by email (info@kuurojenmuseo.fi). |
