Exhibitions at Suur-Savo Museum

Current | Upcoming | Past exhibitions

Current

Two county hospital nurses drinking coffee in their apartment. Taken in the 1950’s. Photo: Mikkeli City Museums.

Sumppia ja sajua – The History of Coffee and Tea

9 May 2025 – 7 March 2026

One hundred years ago, Finland became one of the world’s largest coffee consumers. Tea arrived in Finland a little before coffee but has not gained as much popularity. Both are everyday drinks for many people that they don’t want to give up.

The exhibition also explains what chicory is, why tea is also called saju in Finland and when Mikkeli’s first coffee roaster was founded. There are also nostalgic coffee and tea packages and tableware from different decades on display.

Upcoming

Customers waiting in the lobby of the Mikkeli savings bank (Mikkelin säästöpankki), 1950s. Photo: Mikkeli City Museums.

Öres and Euros – The History of Money in Finland

9 May 2026 – 6 March 2027

Suur-Savo Museum’s new exhibition, opening in May 2026, introduces the museum’s collection of money and coins. The exhibition explores the different currencies that have been used in Finland, from the Swedish öre to the European Union’s shared euro. In addition, Öres and Euros – The History of Money in Finland examines banking and archeological findings related to money in the Southern Savonia region.

Past exhibitions

An old photograph of children standing on a street called Maaherrankatu in Mikkeli, Finland. — Children playing on Maaherrankatu in front of photo studio of Rauha Wallenius. Photo: Rauha Wallenius, Collections of Suur-Savo Museum, Photo Archive of Mikkeli City Museums.

Moments of Life – Rauha Wallenius’s Photography

2 May 2024 – 8 March 2025

Photographer Rauha Wallenius (1903–1975) was born in Lappeenranta and worked in Mikkeli for over 30 years. Wallenius was a versatile photographer, taking portraits in her studio and diligently documenting the surrounding city, nature, and her travels. She recorded the important moments of her life, while doing the same for the citizens of Mikkeli in her studio. The exhibition features photographs taken by Wallenius in and outside of her studio. The exhibition also displays a brief overview of the history of studio photography.