Finnish museums release 800,000 historical images and artifacts online

Nine Finnish museums have launched an updated online collection service showcasing everyday cultural heritage, Yle reports. The newly published archive is freely accessible and contains nearly 800,000 historical photographs, documents, objects, artworks, theses, newspapers, articles, and books.

The collection includes summer-themed images from across Finland, though the exact locations and dates of some are unknown. Many of the photographs depict group scenes with a formal tone, often due to the long exposure times of early cameras.

In addition to images, the archive features objects such as baby’s summer trousers from the 1920s or 1930s, originally part of a circular basket that predated modern maternity packages. Advertising materials, including a 1951 summer poster designed by O. Hurme for the Kulutusosuuskuntien Keskusliitto cooperative, are also included.

Fashion from the 1930s is represented through promotional images from OTK (Osuustukkukauppa), showcasing summer dresses and men’s clothing, as well as swimwear from 1932 and 1942.

Many summer photographs in the archive were taken by lakes and beaches, such as Helsinki’s Mustikkamaa beach in the 1930s or 1940s, or Paanajärvi in the 1930s. Some images are available under Creative Commons licenses, allowing free use with attribution for non-commercial purposes.

The participating museums include Työväenmuseo Werstas, Työväen Arkisto, Kansan Arkisto, Tekniikan museo, Tiedemuseo Liekki, Kultamuseo, Median museo ja arkisto Merkki, Lastentarhamuseo, and Suomen Siirtolaisuusmuseo. The first version of the service, Arjen historia, was published in 2010.