1. Introduction

The Käkisalmi Museum is a museum run by the Käkisalmi Foundation in the center of Heinola. The museum's activities also include a museum shop (Käkipuoti) and a museum café (Kahvila Käki); the café is run by a contracted external entrepreneur.
The Käkisalmi Foundation is responsible for the museum’s expenses, which makes and approves the museum’s annual operating plan and budget as part of its operations. The museum’s year-long planning of operations is assisted by a museum committee assembled by the foundation, which consists of museum professionals, cultural and event industry experts, and the foundation’s partners.
The museum’s mission is to preserve, preserve, and present the cultural heritage of Käkisalmi and its surrounding areas, as well as the Sámi identity as part of Finnish cultural history. The museum serves as a memory organization of the local and national Sámi identity.

Heinola was selected as the location of the museum for historical reasons, because a significant number of Käkisalmi artifacts were relocated to Heinola after the Second World War. The Käki Foundation (Käkisalmi Foundation 2004) was established on June 20, 1948 to preserve the cultural heritage and community spirit of Käkisalmi residents. This tradition also forms the mission of the museum: although Karelia was lost, Karelia lives on.

The operational goal of the museum is long-term and continuously developing cooperation with the Karelian associations in Finland. Development and activity include various events such as the Käkisalmi Festival, exhibitions and related activities, events aimed at children and young people, and cooperation with other associations. When planning the events and the museum’s activities, the foundation’s target groups are people of all ages, from elementary school students to seniors.

The goal of the collection policy program is:

• to guide the museum’s collection work in a long-term perspective
• define the storage task and the focus of the erosion
• describe the principles for the preservation and management of collections
• ensure the accessibility and usability of collections
• to secure the prerequisites for museum operations through funding
• to act as a support for the collection of museum exhibitions and events

 

The activities of the museum are guided by museum legislation, ethical principles of museum work, and the ICOM Ethical Guidelines for Museum Work.[i] as well as the Käkisalmi Foundation’s rules.

The program will be updated as needed, but no later than in 2031. The current program was approved by the Käkisalmi Foundation Board in August 2026.

 

 

The basic mission of the museum

1. Mainly records the material and intangible cultural heritage of Käkisalmi and its surrounding areas.
2. Maintains museum collections responsibly and in the long term.
3. To explore Karjala culture and the history of the Transcarpathian people.
4. To care for and pass on heritage to current and future generations.
5. Promotes community spirit among descendants of Karjalaiset and those interested in cultural heritage.

The museum collaborates with the Karjalainen Union, the South Karelia Museum, the North Karelia Museum, the Lahti Museums, the Eastern Häme Museums, and the Karjala Foundation, the Karjalainen Pitäjäseurojen, the Ancestry Societies, researchers, and cultural communities.

 

2. History and current state of the Käkisalmi Museum

The Käkisalmi Museum was attempted to be established in Heinola already in 1979. However, no premises and a curator were found. The Käkisalmi Foundation decided to establish the Käkisalmi Museum in Heinola on 27 April 2024 and it was opened to the public on 23 November 2024.
The decision is driven by a deep respect for the Karelian homeland – Karelian culture has been taken away from us, but not Karelian identity. The foundation of the museum was accelerated when Russia began an offensive war, and the Karelian homeland was taken away from us.
The museum is now the primary form of activity of the Käkisalmi Foundation in preserving traditions and in community work. The museum collection has been formed from donations from the evacuees and their descendants, which consists of, among other things, objects, photographs, art objects, and printed products.

Albin Kaasinen, the museum manager who previously worked at the Käkisalmi Museum in Käkisalmi, deliberately accumulated a collection of artifacts during his travels in the surrounding areas. However, only a small portion of the artifacts that belong to the Käkisalmi Foundation remain from this collection. The Käkisalmi Foundation has received artifacts that came randomly after its founding, and no special museum collection has yet been established for them. There has been a major change in the collections since the Käkisalmi Museum was established in 2024, when the museum collection began to grow. The main method of collection is accepting donations. The founding of the museum has activated the receipt of donations and the accumulation of collections.

The collection currently has an estimated 150–200 items, most of which are catalogued and some of which have been photographed. The majority of the collection comes from Käkisalmi (for example medals and other items related to the military, national costumes, wooden sculptures, Suotniemi faience collection and jewelry) and the Karelian Plain, with some items including flags, maps and museum books (these are listed in the museum’s manual of reading materials). The largest collection is the collection of items from the ceded territories.

There are a significant number of photographs in the collection, most of which are digitized and stored in the information system (Rönn/Pihla photo archive contains over 10,000 photos). The collections of hundreds of photographs by Seppo Komonen have been donated to the museum; there is also other material in the same collection, such as the postcard collection of Matti Parkkisen. Postcards have also been received from Kauko Kokolta and Tapani Ampiala. The photo collection of the Kaukisalmi Town Folk Association has been digitized for use by the museum.

The museum has items on loan that are on display for visitors in showcases. Some are on loan by exhibition, and some by an existing agreement. The items include items from the South Karelia Museum and from private individuals. There are an estimated 80 items on loan.

The persons and entities responsible for the collections of the Käkisalmi Museum:

• A permanently employed museum administrator who is responsible for the practical operations of the museum, organizing exhibitions, receiving donations, cataloging and preserving items, and liaising with collaborative networks and partners (e.g., museum board). He/she also serves as a mentor to museum assistants and interns.
• The chairman of the board of the foundation, who is responsible for guiding the museum's operations, contract matters, finances, and budget work.
• The archive manager appointed by the foundation, who is responsible for the archive and collections of the foundation and the museum together with the museum curator.
• The board of the foundation, which approves the museum’s annual operating plans and budget.

The museum collects collections mainly through donations, but significant objects can also be purchased.

 

3. Focuses of the collection and its storage task

The collections currently include material primarily from Käkisalmi and its surrounding areas, but also from a wider area of Karjala. The focus of the collections will become more specific to the geographical location of Käkisalmi town and the province, as well as the cultural heritage of the evacuees from the Heinola region and their descendants.

 

Thematically, the museum aims to primarily preserve the cultural heritage of Kihniemi throughout time. In the future, the focus will shift to the intangible cultural heritage of the descendants of the Karjalainen evacuees and the cultural heritage of the post-war immigrants.

3.1 Geographic delimitation of the recording task

Focus areas of recording in the object:

• Main focus: Käkisalmi (the city and the rural area)
• Another focus: the Kaskisen administrative units and administrators.
• Third focus: the Heinola-based camping community from Käkisalmi and their descendants
• Fourth focus area: Karjalainen’s territory limited to the area along the River Laatoja

3.2 Temporal limitation

• Main focus: before the years 1939-44
• Another focus: the evacuation phase in the 1940s and 1950s
• Third focus area: the impact of the Kolin region's activities on the Heinola area; the continuation of culture from the 1950s to the present day

3.3 Thematic focus areas

The physical and digital storage of materials and objects associated with the project is particularly important.

• the everyday life and livelihoods of the Karjalaiset
• crafting and textile heritage
• religion, celebrations and traditions
• The experience history of the Transcarpathian identity
• community, kinship and identity
• Relics related to Karjala
• material related to a significant person or event

 

3.4 Object types

The growth of the collections at the Käkisalmi Museum is not limited to objects with Karelian origins only; exhibition activities also activate museum visitors to donate cultural heritage materials to the museum’s collections. These can include everyday household items such as tableware, jewelry, fabrics, tools, or art objects. The objects collected by the Käkisalmi Museum are digitally linked to the stories associated with them, as well as the experiences and intended uses.

Due to the limited space available in the premises, emphasis is placed on digital recording methods. This is particularly used in the recording of the community life of the Heinola hermit community, using video interviews, compiled videos and photographs. Photographs are also added to the collections of the life of the Karjalaiset in Käkisalmi before 1944, and they served as the main method of recording during that period. The collection of the collections is activated in addition to regular exhibition activities through events, lectures, museum themed days and guided tours.

The collection of objects is also being carried out within the broader geographical area of the Karelian Peninsula and the area around the River Lait, according to the fourth focus area. This is being activated in conjunction with the exhibitions.

The second focus of the temporal boundary, the evacuation phase, primarily accumulates written/digital material, especially memoirs of the evacuation trips and their integration with the rest of Finland. The recording takes place mainly in the form of digital recordings or printed materials. The books are archived in the foundation’s archive and are available for browsing in the museum’s Reading Room, while the digital materials are presented in the museum’s online services and on the foundation’s YouTube channel.

The different storage methods used in collecting the collection:

• the collection
• photographs, albums and negatives
• documents and archival material
• maps and drawings
• interviews and oral tradition
• recordings and videos
• digital material

 

4. Carting policy

4.1 Principles of manipulation

When receiving the museum's collection, emphasis is placed on objects that are

• complementing the museum’s recording task
• In good condition or suitable for conservation (does not mean new money, but money to be deposited)
• reviewed regarding ownership relations
• Suitable items for long-term storage
• locations containing background information and suitable for storage

Objects can also be accepted even if all the previous criteria are not met, but they are seen to contribute to the collection at a beneficial level. However, the object must always be in line with the focus areas of the collection policy and must not be a duplicate of an already existing object in the museum. An exception to this is an object that has better contextual information or condition, in which case the removal of the previous object can be considered.

4.2 Donations

Written agreements are drawn up regarding donations, recorded in writing and digitally in the museum’s documentation archive. The donation records are signed by the signatory of the Käkisalmi Foundation. The decision on accepting the donations is made by the museum administrator, the signatory of the foundation’s name, or the archive manager. Prior to receiving the donation, the ownership of the donated item or the previous owners is verified.

The donor is agreed upon:

• on the transfer of ownership
• disclosure of background information
• about possible usage restrictions

 

4.3 Purchasing policy

The museum may, at its discretion, acquire objects of special significance to its collections, especially when:

• The origin of the object is believed to be Käkisalmi
• the item is particularly significant in terms of the priorities of the storage task
• the object is associated with a significant person

Purchases can also be targeted, as needed, to other types of objects other than items. Purchase decisions are approved by the board of the foundation/the signatory under the foundation’s name. The selling party can be another organization, an individual, an auction, or any non-profit organization.

 

4.4 Withdrawals

Museum collections are generally permanent, so removal from the collection is always a special case. In such a situation, material can be removed from the collections in accordance with the ICOM museum ethical principles.

Removal is considered if

• Capturing or displaying the object is impossible due to the technical characteristics of the object, or it causes problems or danger to other objects
• The object is completely identical to the previous deposit, and the museum has no need for duplicates.
• The object is of no significance to the museum collections or does not belong to the collection's storage responsibility area. In this case, it could be more useful in another collection, unless it is of no historical value.
• The museum does not have a safe space to store the object

 

Withdrawals are documented and approved by the foundation's board of trustees. The object can also be donated to another museum, returned to the donor, destroyed, or donated for material use.

 

5. Collection management and preservation

5.1 Documentation

All items belonging to the collections are recorded in the collection management system. This is intended to be done immediately upon receiving the object; if it is delayed, the object is moved to the waiting area. The object is given a cataloging code according to its intended use and photographs and background information are digitally captured. After this, the object is either moved to an exhibition or stored. For the latter, it is packaged in a manner suitable for each object and this utilizes preventive conservation, for which the conservator can be asked to assist if necessary.

Later, a supplementary inventory can be carried out, in which the object's data is updated. This is also performed when moving the object, so that its storage location remains up-to-date in the inventory. The museum does not accept unsuitable donated objects; instead, upon the donation of each object, a decision is made regarding the donation and thus a contract is drawn up, which is completed as the object is transferred to the museum.

The documentation includes:

• an identifying identifier
• description and measurements
• a fitness assessment that is performed visually
• contextual data, such as usage and manufacturing information
• photographs
• storage location

5.2 Conservation

The conservation of the museum is based on preventive work, which includes the storage, packaging, handling, storage, and use of the objects in the collections. The condition of the objects is checked upon receipt and recorded. This is intended to be maintained through appropriate storage, cleanliness, and protection when placed on display. When necessary, an external party can be involved in the conservation, for example as part of an apprenticeship program for students involved in the conservation profession. The condition of the objects and the need for conservation are reviewed by the curator alongside the exhibitions. This can also be carried out while storing objects as much as possible.

The museum takes care of:

• prevention conservation
• packaging solutions
• from the conditions (temperature, humidity and light)
• as necessary, for conservation services

5.3 Storage spaces

The museum has two storage rooms attached to the museum; the smaller of the two, the security storage room, is used for the proper storage of the museum collections. The room is protected from light and locked, and access to it is restricted to museum staff only. The storage room has a humidity meter that is monitored daily and the results are recorded in a memory list. Humidity has been a problem in the security storage room and therefore better solutions are being sought and considered for the space. The locked security storage room is approximately 5 m in size.^2. The second, also locked storage room, is about 20 m². The storage facilities have been rented together with the museum space from the lessor. The museum has approximately 40 m of storage space outside the collections.² and this is used, for example, for storing items needed for the exhibition building and office supplies.

Appropriate funds are reserved for the collections:

• Shelves and boxes that are kept in a warm and locked storage room. The storage room is only for museum use, so there is no shared space.
• light, humidity and temperature monitoring systems monitored by a museum employee
• security systems

Museum security systems:

Recording camera surveillance, motion detectors, and fire and smoke alarms are in use in the museum premises. The safety and rescue plan has been recorded in the museum’s permit documents and has been reviewed by the Päijät-Häme Rescue Department. Museum staff have been instructed to follow the rescue plan. All collections in the museum are insured and the value is reviewed annually. In the risk assessment, the established rescue plan is followed and, if necessary, adjusted for each exhibition and event.

The need for the development of the premises is continuous and is included in the museum's short- and long-term action plan.

6. Accessibility and use of collections

The main purpose of the Käkisalmi Museum’s collections is to preserve and present the Karelian cultural heritage, but also to utilize it by sharing information, organizing events, and creating community and vitality in the area. The information is shared through exhibitions that present the history of Finland through objects, photographs, and artifacts; alternating exhibitions have focused on the history of Heinola or the Karelian region, for example by combining information about the origin and use of the objects. The museum’s permanent exhibition tells the story of the prehistoric history of Käkisalmi from the time of the evacuation of the evacuees (1944), so it covers a very diverse range of cultural historical information from that period.

Information dissemination is also carried out by organizing group tours for those interested; the main target group are the associations of other Karjalainen districts that have been dissolved (district associations, ethnic clubs, etc.).
The museum also organizes general public events in its premises as well as in venues intended for larger events.

Other forms of communication take place through publications on the Käkisalmi Museum and Foundation websites, as well as media releases and marketing of the museum’s exhibitions and events. The Käkisalmi Foundation and Käkisalmi Museum, among other things, organize traditional courses for elementary school students, guided tours and competitions at the museum.

Collections are utilized:

• in the basic exhibition
• in changing exhibitions
• in the study
• in teaching
• in digital environments

The museum digitizes its collections and promotes this digital accessibility:

• on the website
• in social media
• in the electronic collection service (Finna.fi)

The use of collections for external loans and research is permitted with the museum’s permission and under the guidance of the museum staff. The use of the contents must comply with the purpose of the Käkisalmi Foundation’s operations:

”Article 2 The purpose of the Käkisalmi Foundation is to promote Karelian culture and a sense of community among the people of Käkisalmi and other Karelian people and their descendants, as well as to support their spiritual and economic endeavors.”

A separate agreement is always made regarding the use of the collections, which must be reviewed and signed by the signatory of the foundation’s name. The museum must receive the archive copy/digital record of the final publication containing the museum’s collections as material.

Photo collections are subject to copyright and are available to outsiders primarily for research purposes and for publication only in accordance with copyright regulations.

The museum's goal is to start publishing regular digital content in the National Library's free and open data search service Finna.fi.

6.2 Copyright

The museum enters into copyright agreements with the content creator or owner for digital publications. Copyrights are taken into account in the exhibition and publication activities of the collections, and appropriate compensation is paid.

7. Cooperation

The museum is actively collaborating with:

• The City of Heinola
• Museums of South Karelia and North Karelia
• Lahden Museum
• Museums of Eastern Häme
• Karjalainen Union
• association and genealogy clubs as well as Karjala Foundation
• of other suitable museums
• by researchers
• with educational institutions and communities

The collaboration supports and enhances both the collection and accessibility, and stakeholders are seen as an important part of developing and implementing exhibitions and strengthening the museum's identity.

[i] https://icomfinland.fi/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/ICOM-Museotyon-eettiset-saannot.pdf