Collections

The collections in old museums like Porvoo Museum are veritable treasure troves. The museum looks after the objects, artworks, photographs, etc. that are part of the collection. This is the museum’s main task. With the help of research objects function as sources of experiences and information about the lives of the people who lived in Porvoo in the past. Photographs, documents, and artworks complete the story. 

Porvoo Museum’s collection was started over 125 years ago. The museum was founded in 1896 and from the beginning the goal was the preserve the cultural heritage of Porvoo and Easter Uusimaa. 

Museum collections contain evidence from many different eras. The cultural history collections in Porvoo Museum contain a great deal of objects from 1700s and 1800s, such as furniture, textiles and clothing, instruments, kitchenware, weapons, locks, clocks and tools. The collection contains many things that are unique on a national level. The design collection of the museum includes ceramics and furniture by the factory AB Iris that operated in Porvoo at the turn of the 20th century.

Porvoo is the city of artists. The art collection of the museum includes works by Ville Vallgren, Albert Edelfelt and many other local artists.

The collections of the Porvoo Museum of Natural History were transferred to Porvoo Museum in 2007. The natural history collection consists of natural history specimens.

Porvoo Museum’s collections grow mainly through donations.