What is the oldest museum in Finland?

The oldest museum in Finland is the Turku Academy Museum, which was founded in 1747. This museum is now known as the Turku University Museum, and it is part of the cultural and historical collection of the University of Turku. The establishment of the museum is closely related to the history of the Turku Academy, now the University of Helsinki. Turku Academy was Finland’s first university, and it was founded in 1640.

History of the Turku Academy Museum

The Turku Academy Museum was originally founded for the preservation and presentation of scientific collections. The museum’s collections initially consisted mainly of natural history objects such as minerals, plants and animals. Later, archaeological and ethnographic objects were also added to the collections. The purpose of the museum was to support the Academy’s teaching and research by offering students and researchers the opportunity to get to know various scientific samples.

Development and current state of the museum

In 1827, the city of Turku was hit by a great fire, which destroyed a large part of the city, including the buildings of the Turku Academy and the museum’s collections. After this, Turku Academy was moved to Helsinki, and it became the University of Helsinki. However, the museum’s operations continued in Turku, and it has since developed into a significant cultural-historical museum.

Today, the Turku University Museum is located on the campus of the University of Turku, and its collections cover a wide range of artefacts from different disciplines. The museum’s exhibitions offer visitors the opportunity to learn about natural history, archeology and cultural history. The museum’s collections are important not only from the point of view of scientific research, but also from the point of view of preserving and presenting Finland’s cultural heritage.

More information

If you want to know more about the Turku University Museum and its history, you can visit the museum’s official website this link. On the website you can find up-to-date information about the museum’s exhibitions, events and collections.