Lauri Viita -museo
Home museum in the childhood home of the writer Lauri Viita in Pispala, presenting the writer’s life and the working-class everyday life of Pispala.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
Lauri Viita was born on 17 December 1916 in Pispala, Tampere, where his parents had moved in 1899. He was the youngest child of a carpenter and his wife, attended elementary school in Pispala, and was the only member of his family to continue his studies at the Tampere Classical Lyceum.
The museum operates in Viita’s childhood home at Portaanpää. The house was built in 1900 by Viita’s father, Emil Viita, and his father-in-law, Juho Nikander, and the family moved into the house in 1920. Originally the house contained two separate dwellings, and in 1921 it was extended with two flats and an attic. The family had to sell the house in 1937, when Emil Viita was obliged to repay a loan he had guaranteed.
The house was restored as a museum in 1977. Until 2003 the museum comprised only one room and a kitchen, after which a second room was opened, with text panels and a permanent exhibition on Viita’s life and work. The exhibition was renewed in 2016. The museum is run by the Lauri Viita -seura (Lauri Viita Society), and the building is owned by Pispala heritage foundation Pispalan Moreeni ry.
Highlights
- The writer’s childhood home from 1900
- Kitchen and room furnished in the original style
- Exhibition on the life and works of Lauri Viita
- Pispala working-class life in the 1920s and 1930s
- Small museum shop
Permanent exhibition
- Lauri Viidan elämä ja tuotanto – The permanent exhibition tells of the writer Lauri Viita’s life and works and of working-class life in Pispala in the 1920s and 1930s. The home’s kitchen and room are furnished in the original style.
- Founded
- 1977
- Operated by
- Lauri Viita -seura
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €4 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €2 |
| Guided tour outside opening hours | €40Admission charges in addition; available all year round. |
The museum accepts cash only.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Amenities & dining
- Museum shop
The museum has a small museum shop.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Good to know | A guided tour can also be booked outside opening hours, all year round; the museum director provides further information. |
