Text: Nina Björkman-Nystén
Photo: Jan Heino
Feature in Nya Östis, July 2020:
The Agricola Museum opened on 1 July, and an opening celebration will be held on 10 July at 5 pm; the event is open to everyone. There will be music, speeches, discussions and refreshments – a festive occasion is promised. The museum is open from Wednesday to Sunday, 12 noon to 5 pm. Handicrafts inspired by Agricola are on sale, as are books relevant to the theme.
The Agricola Museum was located at one end of the Vicarage in Pernaja; following the local authority merger just over 10 years ago, most of the museum’s collection was packed into boxes, whilst a small part remained at the local library in Pernaja.
The Agricola Society in Pernaja has for years been trying to find a home for the museum near Pernaja Church – the most natural location to honour the parish’s great son, Mikael Agricola, the father of the written Finnish language.
Now it will be Koskenkylä, as the society has not found a suitable location in the church village. ‘It’s a good temporary solution,’ says chairman Kai Nieminen. The location is central, and the old bank premises are spacious. Historically, however, the right place is as close to the church as possible; the aim is to be able to move there within a reasonable timeframe.
The Agricola Museum’s primary purpose is to preserve the memory of Mikael Agricola, to disseminate information about him and to display archaeological finds from the Middle Ages. The museum operates in collaboration with the National Board of Antiquities.
The museum already has quite a number of artefacts; naturally, the intention is for the museum to grow and develop. A partnership has been established with the Koskenkylä Village Association, which benefits both parties, says the association’s chairman, Henry Laitinen.
‘The association’s activities have suffered because we haven’t really had anywhere to meet. This is a real boost for the village association,’ says Laitinen.
It is a partnership that Kai Nieminen, chair of the Agricola Society, believes should continue even when the museum moves to a new address. As well as an exhibition hall, the museum premises also feature a meeting room and a kitchen, which association members and others can hire at a reasonable rate for meetings.
The Agricola Museum opened on 1 July, and an opening celebration will be held on 10 July at 5 pm; the event is open to everyone. There will be music, speeches, discussions and refreshments – a festive occasion is promised. The museum is open from Wednesday to Sunday, from 12 noon to 5 pm. Handicrafts inspired by Agricola are on sale, as are books relevant to the theme.
Work on getting the museum up and running began in earnest at the start of June. A hard-working group of volunteers has been planning, unpacking items that have been stored in boxes for years, and recreating the atmosphere of the early 16th century, when Mikael Agricola learnt to read in Pernaja Church. The museum is benefiting greatly from the practical skills of its newly appointed curator, Michael Hellman.
“I’m really enjoying it,” says Hellman. “It’s pleasant and varied, and I’ve got a short commute to work.”
