Pohjois-Karjalan Seta (Hobiles) ry

North Karelian Museum consists of three parts: the permanent exhibition named "Visiting Karelia" (on the second floor), temporary exhibitions and children's museum named "Mukulakatu" (at street level). Especially the permanent exhibition is very interesting and there is something for everybody there. There are own exhibition rooms for North Karelian general history, military history, religious life and even North Karelian rock music scene, including Nightwish. There are many interactive parts in the exhibition. You can sit on a sauna bench and take a photo with a Finnish guy (a camera stand would be a good idea because it is so dark in the sauna). You may also listen many interesting tapes, including old spells or laments and Finnish rock and pop music (it is free despite of the note on the jukebox). You can listen (on your mobile phone) a free audio guide of the exhibition if you open it from the web page of the museum. So it is a good idea to bring own headphones with you. Notice also that it is possible to buy a combination ticket to this museum and Joensuu Art Museum. Guided tours in English are available by advance booking (67 euros / 45 minutes on weekdays).

This museum located in the Carelicum building presents the history and cultural tradition of Karelia. In addition, the museum has changing theme exhibitions. In connection with the museum, there is a children's playground Mukulakatu. The permanent exhibition located on the second floor tells you about the prehistory and development of the North Karelia region, military history, Karelian cultural tradition and artifacts, miniature models of the city of Sortavala, and the birth of the city of Joensuu.

North Karelian museum Hilma is located in the centre of Joensuu, in an old bank building next to the market square. The museum's permanent exhibition displays the prehistory and the history of Karelia and North Karelia. There are also several temporary exhibitions each year concentrating on various themes, such as local culture and history.

Carelicum is a culture and tourist center situated by the marketplace. The museum visit is an excellent way of getting to know Joensuu and North Karelia and its culture. There is also ticket sales for concerts and theatre plays and it gives tourist information.

The Carelicum is an interesting museum for people who want having information about non only Joensuu, but also of the surroundings. Because the area was many times involved in historic dynamics and moved from different sovereingties: Danish, Swedish, Russian, Finnish. There are different rooms along an historic development with maps, photos, documents and also objects and tools of the ordinary life. The entrance is cheap and it's possible to by gadgets and books about Finland.

After an emergency visit to the Joensuu Hospital, we discovered that we had to go elsewhere to pay our bill, so back we came to Joensuu a few days later to pay. We expected an office or some other administrative functional facility, but were surprised to go into this interesting building that seems to have a reception area that handles local billing payments and ticketing. Very efficient I might add. There is also the North Karelia history museum which was absolutely fascinating (most information was in Finnish, Russian and English) and a wonderful little Kahvila-Ravintola "Aino Sofia" serving local Keralian dishes. We enjoyed everything we tried, service was great. We would not have come to Joensuu had I not had a kidney stone, but I am glad we did.

The museum is good if you are interested in history. It gives you the details of Karelia and its people. It should be more interactive.

You can have every event tickets from here. Also cafeteria is located inside. Three floors and nice little exhibition of local art and something for kids also. Joensuu city offices also located in second floor.

There is a great exhibition about Finnish lifestyle and a bit of history. Really liked our visit there.

Loved the layout and design of the exhibitions. Was nice to see children being able to interact in the Christmas exhibition downstairs and have a temporary photography exhibition too. Really liked the old back lit maps of the world. Gave me a real taste of what has been going in Finland up until present day and I only wish I had more time to digest it all, really did touch on every subject.