Fängelsemuseet Vita Björn
A prison museum in the old Crown lock-up at Kastelholm, showing the development of prison care on Åland from the 18th century to 1950.
Have only individual sections read aloud
About the museum
The Crown lock-up Vita Björn was built in 1784 at Kastelholm, when the castle’s heyday was over, and was used for almost 200 years as a remand house and prison. Operations ended in 1975 and were moved to Godby. The building is the oldest surviving prison building in Finland.
After the closure, the house was restored by the Kastelholm work colony and opened in 1985 as the country’s first public prison museum. The building has the typical layout of a rural prison from the 18th century, with the prison guards’ living quarters in one part and small cells in the other.
The exhibition follows the development of prison care from the late 18th century to 1950, from a time when shackles and irons were part of the prisoners’ everyday life to far more humane conditions for inmates. The museum is part of the Kastelholm museum area together with the castle and the open-air museum Jan Karlsgården.
Highlights
- Oldest surviving prison building in Finland
- The country’s first public prison museum (1985)
- Development of prison care from the 18th century to 1950
- Part of the Kastelholm museum area
- Combination ticket with Kastelholm Castle
Permanent exhibition
- Fångvårdens utveckling – The exhibition in the old Crown lock-up shows how prison care developed from the late 18th century to 1950, from shackles and irons to more humane conditions.
- Founded
- 1985
- Operated by
- Ålands landskapsregering (Ålands museum)
Admission & discounts
| Adults | €2 |
|---|---|
| Reduced | €1children aged 7–17, students and pensioners |
| Children & teens | €1free up to age 6 · Children under 7 enter free of charge. |
| Groups (10+ people) | –Groups of at least 10 people get 20% off the admission price when entry is paid as a single transaction on site. |
| Kastelholm ticket (Kastelholm Castle and Vita Björn), adult | €10 |
| Kastelholm ticket, children aged 7–17, pensioners and students | €6 |
| Summer ticket, adult | €20Valid for Kastelholm Castle/Vita Björn, Bomarsund Visitor Centre, Eckerö Post and Customs House, and Ålands kulturhistoriska museum and Ålands konstmuseum. |
| Summer ticket, children aged 7–17, pensioners and students | €15 |
Free admission: Free admission on International Museum Day, 18 May, and on Åland Self-Government Day, 9 June.
Card payment is not possible at Vita Björn. A ticket for Vita Björn only can be bought at the ticket desk at Kastelholm Castle or in the Grindstugan museum shop.
Accessibility
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Kids & families
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
Getting there & parking
By car
Free parking
Free parking with no time limit is available at Vita Björn. The largest car park is below the prison museum, opposite the restaurant Smakbyn.
Vita Björn is located in the Kastelholm museum area in Sund, near Kastelholm Castle and Jan Karlsgården.
Get directionsAmenities & dining
The Grindstugan museum shop is about 200 metres from Kastelholm Castle. In summer there are cafés and restaurants at Kastelholm, including Smakbyn.
Events & venue rental
The museum hasn’t published any information on this.
