Stundars museum

About the museum

Stundars was founded by the elementary school teacher Gunnar Rosenholm, who from 1936 had his pupils collect old objects in Solf. The Solf Museiförening (Solf Museum Association) was formed in 1938, and already in the 1930s the first building, a grain storehouse, was moved to Stundarsbacken. An interior museum opened in 1947 at Herrbacken, and in 1958 the Solf parish storehouse opened to the public. In the 1960s the grain storehouse was joined by a windmill and a miller's cottage, and the area grew into a craft village and cultural centre with the legendary Kalaset (feasts) and Stundars theatre.

The museum is run by the association Stundars rf and receives operating grants from the Municipality of Korsholm as well as the state grant for museum activities. Today the open-air museum consists of 66 buildings. It shows how life in rural Swedish-speaking Ostrobothnia, from Oravais to Pörtom, looked, mainly in the period 1870–1920, with the emphasis on the peasantry, craftspeople and the lower social classes.

During the summer season about 22 of the buildings are open, and in addition there are four play environments, three art exhibitions and an animal farm. The activity rests on three pillars: craft, building conservation and museum education. In Hemmersgården there is a memorial room for the Finland-Swedish poet Jarl Hemmer, whose childhood home was moved here from Vaasa.

Highlights

• Museum village with 66 buildings from Swedish-speaking Ostrobothnia
• Guided tours included in the admission
• Four play environments and an animal farm
• Hemmersgården with Jarl Hemmer's memorial room
• Craft days, autumn market and Christmas market
• Free audio guide in Swedish, Finnish and English

Permanent exhibitions

• Emigrationen till Amerika från Solf och Österbotten – The exhibition in the loft row tells of the emigration to America around the turn of the century, with the village of Solf and a hundred emigrated Solf residents as its starting point.
• Bland bolster och fällar – Exhibition on Ostrobothnian bed textiles, with knitted quilts, sheepskin rugs and sheets of linen and wool from Ninni Back's donation.
• Byk och skvalldär slutar alldär – Exhibition on how clothes were washed and cared for in the past.

Founded

1938

Operated by

Stundars rf

Admission & discounts

Guided tours and activities during the summer season are included in the admission. After payment the visitor receives a sticker valid for the whole day for the museum area, the café and the play park. Payment by cash, bank card, MobilePay, the Museikortet and the Kaikukortet.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description

The paths in the museum village are wide and consist of firmly packed gravel, and there are benches along the way. The entrance is on a small slope. The peasant buildings have stairs, high thresholds, low door frames and uneven floors. Ramps lead to Lyckans café and the outer door of Hemmersgården; a lift in Hemmersgården is used together with staff. Accessible toilets are at Hantverkartorget and in the museum village. Cars with a disabled permit may drive up to the entrance. Assistance dogs are allowed in the cottages. Audio-described guided tours and a tactile model of the area with Braille are available.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Hands-on stations
• Stroller-friendly
• Baby changing facilities
• Playground / play area

Four play environments and the play park are open during the summer season, and in the animal farm there are goats, sheep, rabbits and hens. In the area children can try old crafts and activities, and small hand carts can be borrowed for tired legs. In spring, autumn and at Christmas the museum welcomes day-care and school groups with tailor-made programmes. Changing tables are in the accessible toilet.

Getting there & parking

Getting to Stundars usually requires a car or a bicycle. From Vaasa the cycle route via Vasklot and through Sundom is recommended. Part of the St Olav's Trail (St Olavs Vandringsled) runs through the museum village.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant

Lyckans Café is open during the summer season and sells pastries, light lunches and local craft products. Restaurant Hemmer is a restaurant for advance orders, in Jarl Hemmer's childhood home. Picnicking with your own packed food is allowed at the picnic tables.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events

The museum village suits meetings, parties, staff days, seminars and courses; refreshments are booked via Restaurant Hemmer or Lyckans café.

Plan your visit