Kalevala: Museums, Crafts and Culture

• The Rune Singers’ Museum is located in the settlement of Kalevala.
• The museum department of the Kalevalatalo Ethnocultural Centre preserves a collection on the ethnography and history of the northern Karelians. It comprises 2,134 objects.
• The centre offers tours of Kalevala, as well as folk craft workshops and classes as part of ethnocultural education programmes.
• The Lennrot Relict Pine stands in the centre of the settlement of Kalevala, which was called Ukhta until 1963.

The Kalevalatalo collection focuses on the ethnography and history of the northern Karelians. Ethnography explores ways of life and cultural contexts; together with the historical focus, this provides a clearly defined theme for travellers interested in the region’s culture. The collection’s total of 2,134 objects gives a concrete sense of its size, though this figure may change over time.

Three museums are under the operational management of the Ethnocultural Centre. The centre also manages the House of Engineer Moberg, an architectural monument. The cultural themes on offer therefore bring together different perspectives: an ethnographic and historical collection and a named architectural monument. The Rune Singers’ Museum is also located in Kalevala, adding another specific local reference.

Kalevalatalo offers tours of Kalevala. Museum tours are conducted in Russian and Finnish. As the languages offered may change, it is best to confirm with the centre in advance which languages will be available during your visit.

The crafts department offers folk craft workshops and classes as part of ethnocultural education programmes. If you are planning to take part in one of these activities, check with the centre for current dates and participation requirements. This will help you plan tours, guided visits and craft activities as distinct parts of your trip, without conflating the different offerings.

The Lennrot Relict Pine stands in the centre of the settlement of Kalevala. The settlement’s former name is also tied to a specific year: the village was called Ukhta until 1963. The tree and the former name offer two distinct points of reference for Kalevala’s local history: a named landmark in the centre today and an earlier name for the village.

When making your own choices, you can consider Kalevalatalo’s institutional cultural offerings separately from these local points of interest. Those primarily interested in collections and ethnocultural themes will find several relevant starting points at the centre. The pine and the former name, Ukhta, add a connection to the settlement itself.

At the level of the wider destination, the Republic of Karelia offers other distinct cultural and natural attractions. The Kizhi Museum Reserve presents 89 monuments of traditional wooden architecture in the open air, including chapels, houses, mills, granaries, threshing barns and drying racks. Visitors can see the interiors of the Church of the Intercession of the Theotokos and of peasant houses; traditional peasant crafts are demonstrated in the houses.

The petroglyphs also provide a distinct regional cultural comparison: the World Heritage Site of the Onega and White Sea petroglyphs comprises 4,500 Neolithic rock carvings in the Republic of Karelia. The Onega petroglyphs include more than 1,200 figures, most of which are located on the three capes of Pery Nos, Besov Nos and Kladovets. The White Sea petroglyphs predominantly depict hunting and sailing scenes, including equipment, as well as animal and human footprints.

As a natural attraction in the wider destination, Kivach Waterfall lies on the Suna River in the central part of Karelia. It is 10.7 metres high and is Europe’s second-largest lowland waterfall after the Rhine Falls. A general excursion in Kivach Nature Reserve includes an outdoor walk to the waterfall and visits to the dendrological collection and the Natural History Museum. A 1,000-metre circular trail runs through a forested area on the bank of the Suna, near the excursion area; the excursion is listed as taking 1 to 1.5 hours. Check the current conditions before planning and confirm details with the operator.

Discover more destinations: Kindasovo, Yanishpole, Salmi, Medvezhyegorsk, Suoyarvi, Vilga, Lososinnoye, Kostomuksha.

Where is the Rune Singers’ Museum located?

The Rune Singers’ Museum is located in the settlement of Kalevala.

In which languages are museum tours conducted?

The Ethnocultural Centre’s museum tours are conducted in Russian and Finnish. Confirm the currently available languages with the centre in advance.

How long does the excursion in Kivach Nature Reserve take?

The excursion is listed as taking 1 to 1.5 hours. The circular trail near the excursion area is 1,000 metres long; contact the operator for current conditions.

Go to the overview of the wider destination: Republic of Karelia.