Loviisan Merenkulkumuseo
The Loviisa Maritime Museum presents the history of the city's sailing-ship era and of shipping in the old harbour area at Laivasilta.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Loviisa Maritime Museum is located at Laivasilta, the old harbour area of Loviisa. The town was founded in 1745 under the name Degerby and had the right to conduct foreign trade. Salt from the Mediterranean countries was mainly brought to the harbour, and export goods included iron, sawn timber and, in good harvest years, grain. The salt granaries of Laivasilta have left their mark on the area's building stock.
Active residents of Loviisa decided in 1993 to found a maritime museum in the middle of the old harbour. The museum building consists of an old storehouse, whose logs were moved to their present site by volunteers, and a new part completed in 1998. The museum opened on 1 July 1995. The building follows the style of the 18th- and 19th-century salt granaries.
The museum is maintained by the Loviisan Merenkulkuhistorian Säätiö (Loviisa Maritime History Foundation). The tug Onni, roughly a hundred years old, in the Rantapuisto (shore park), and the sector light (sektoriloisto) belong to the museum's collections. The permanent exhibition covers, among other things, Loviisa's sailing-ship era from the founding of the town until 1913. In 2019 the exhibition was expanded with a section presenting the history of the Laivasilta area and the innermost part of Loviisa bay.
Highlights
- History of the sailing-ship era from the founding of the town until 1913
- History of Laivasilta and the innermost part of Loviisa bay
- Museum building in the style of salt granaries in the old harbour
- Tug Onni and sector light are part of the collections
- Audio guides with QR codes
Permanent exhibition
- Perusnäyttely – The exhibition tells of Loviisa's sailing-ship era from the founding of the town to 1913, and of the Laivasilta area and the innermost part of Loviisa bay.
- Founded
- 1995
- Operated by
- Loviisan Merenkulkuhistorian Säätiö
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €6 |
|---|---|
| Children & teens | freefree up to age 11 · Under-12s free. |
Adults €6, under-12s free. Museokortti (Finnish Museum Card) is accepted.
Accessibility
- Wheelchair accessible: not available
- 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 museum is not fully accessible: most rooms have high thresholds and stairs.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By public transit
By bus to the Loviisa bus station, from which it is about 800 metres on foot to Laivasilta through the Rantapuisto park.
By car
Parking available
Laivasilta has a fairly large car park with four electric-car charging points.
The museum is located at Laivasilta, at the innermost part of Loviisa bay.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
- Museum shop
The museum sells books and publications issued by the foundation. There are restaurants and cafés in the Laivasilta area.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Plan your visit
| Guided tours | yes |
|---|---|
| Audio guide | yes (FI, EN) |
| Good to know | Groups are guided by arrangement. The audio guides consist of imaginary letters telling stories from different periods of Loviisa's maritime history. They can be listened to on your own device from the museum's website, or by scanning the QR codes on the museum's signs. |
