RIISA – Suomen ortodoksinen kirkkomuseo

About the museum

The Finnish Orthodox Church Museum was founded in Kuopio in 1957. Its predecessor was an antiquities collection set up in 1911 by the Valamo Monastery on Lake Ladoga. The museum’s core collection consists of objects that were evacuated from Orthodox parishes in Karelia and from the monasteries of Valamo, Konevitsa and Petsamo during and after the war.

The museum is housed in a building designed by Dag Englund and completed in 1969, which belongs to the central building of the Orthodox Church. The building and the exhibition spaces were renovated in the 2010s, and the museum reopened in spring 2015 under the name RIISA. The museum is maintained by the Suomen ortodoksisen kirkkomuseon säätiö (Finnish Orthodox Church Museum Foundation).

The renewed collection exhibition opened to the public in February 2026. It presents the history, monasteries and church art of the Orthodox Church from the 14th century to the present day, and includes icons, church objects, church textiles and rare books. On the first floor there are miniature models of the originals of the lost shrines and churches of Karelia and Petsamo.

Highlights

• Renewed collection exhibition on the history and church art of the Orthodox Church
• Icons, church textiles and rare books
• Evacuated objects from the monasteries of Valamo, Konevitsa and Petsamo
• Miniature models of shrines and churches in Karelia and Petsamo
• Museum shop Pikku-Bysantti

Permanent exhibitions

• Kokoelmanäyttely – The renewed collection exhibition presents the history, monasteries and church art of the Orthodox Church from the 14th century to the present day; it includes objects evacuated from parishes and monasteries in Karelia, among others.
• Pienoismallit – On the first floor there are miniature models of the originals of the lost shrines and churches of Karelia and Petsamo.

Founded

1957

Operated by

Suomen ortodoksisen kirkkomuseon säätiö

Admission & discounts

Free admission: Admission is free for students on Sundays 27 September, 25 October, 22 November and 20 December 2026.

Unemployed people enter free of charge. Museokortti, Kaikukortti, Epassi and Edenred are accepted as means of payment. Guided tours must be booked in advance by email or phone.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: no information
• 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 barrier-free and accepts the disability card (vammaiskortti). Kaikukortti is accepted.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Museum shop Pikku-Bysantti.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit