South Karelia Museum 

Situated in the Fortress of Lappeenranta, the Regional Museum of South Karelia is the centre piece of the town’s Museums Directorate. The museum is housed in the solid grey-stone buildings of the former artillery depot which were completed at the beginning of the 19th century. Founded by the Maakuntaliitto (Regional Municipal Association) in 1963, this museum was the successor to the Town Museum of Lappeenranta. In 1968 the museum was handed over to the town of Lappeenranta. 

The collections of the Museum of Cultural History are drawn from the museums of Lappeenranta, Vyborg and Käkisalmi (Priozersk). The museum’s work of preservation and recording, research and display encompasses not only the present-day region of South Karelia but also the southern part of Karelia which was ceded to Russia, i.e. the Karelian Isthmus.

The old permanent exhibition of the South Karelia Museum has been taken down. The planning of the new permanent exhibition is underway, and it will be opened to audiences in the renovated exhibition space upon completion. The scale model of Viipuri (Vyborg), which represents the most central parts of the town as they were on September 2nd 1939, will be put back on display as part of the new permanent exhibition.

The collections of the South Karelia Museum contain artefacts and photographs from Lappeenranta, the South Karelia region and the Karelian Isthmus, the last of which was ceded to the Soviet Union in 1944. The museum’s collections are regularly on display in exhibitions. In addition to exhibitions, the South Karelia Museum offers guided tours and hosts events and workshops.

Located next to the reception, there is also the museum shop which stocks a selection of books, postcards, jewellery etc..


Mailing address:
South Karelia Museum,
P.O.Box 239, 53101 Lappeenranta

Further information :
tel: +358 5 616 2255, +358 5 616 2261
e-mail: museot(at)lappeenranta.fi