Valvillan tehdasmuseo

About the museum

The Valvilla tehdasmuseo is located in the inner courtyard of the Hyvinkää wool factory, in an old fire-equipment building. The museum's stories cover more than a hundred years, from the wool-spinning mill founded by Ossian Donner (1866–1957), which grew into the largest company in its field in the Nordic countries, to the way woollen products won hearts at home and abroad.

The museum was established in 1981 in the former fire-equipment building of the Yhdistyneet Villatehtaat (United Wool Factories). The restructuring of the wool factory ended traditional cloth production in Hyvinkää, so the museum project aimed to preserve the traditions of the weaving mill that was being closed. Spinning in Hyvinkää continued until 1991. From the beginning of 1994, Valvilla Oy donated the factory museum, with its photograph and cloth-sample book collections and its industrial archives, to the City of Hyvinkää.

The small textile museum has a 1950s Italian Nebiolo loom, on which Finnish military coat cloth is woven, and a carding machine (valkki) from 1910, which was in use until October 1981. The exhibition includes photographs of factory halls, of the stages of cloth weaving and of products such as fabrics and Rondo handicraft yarns. The museum belongs to Museokeskus Taika.

Highlights

• Nebiolo loom from the 1950s and carding machine from 1910
• Photographs of the wool factory halls and products
• 3D model and story map of the Hyvinkää wool factory water tower
• Stop on an industrial heritage trail
• Free admission

Permanent exhibition

• Valvillan tehdasmuseo – The small textile museum has a weaving machine and a carding machine, photographs of the factory halls and products, and digital material, including a 3D model of the water tower and a story map.

Founded

1981

Operated by

Hyvinkään kaupunki (Museokeskus Taika)

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Free admission during opening hours; agreed opening at other times €50 per started hour.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

In the renewed exhibition, younger visitors can explore scale models of a factory hall and a workers' flat.

Getting there & parking

The museum is in an old fire-equipment building in the inner courtyard of the wool factory, at Kankurinkatu 4–6.

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