The Museums of Lappeenranta’s permanent exhibitions are located in the South Karelia Museum, the Cavalry Museum and the Wolkoff House Museum. See our Temporary exhibitions here.

Permanent exhibion of South Karelia Museum: The Story of South Karelia 

The exhibition invites you on a journey through time, tracing the story of South Karelia from prehistory to the present. Step into a Stone Age dwelling and in a 1970s sauna cottage nestled on the shores of Lake Saimaa. Take a seat in Viipuri’s Torkkelinpuisto Park and stroll through the 1930s city streets, brought to life by a detailed scale model. Pop in a local bar, visit at the traditional pasty kiosk in the market square, and gather around South Karelian banquet table.

The Saimaa theme of the exhibition offers a long-spanning story about the Lake Saimaa region and the appearance of population on its shores, from the industrialisation of the shores to modern leisure activities.

The Border theme deals with the location of South Karelia on the border of two countries and its unstable past with many turning points.

Our South Karelia focuses on the search for a new identity for the post-war area with the territorial losses of the Second World War and the urbanisation of South Karelia.

The Cavalry Museum

The Cavalry Museum tells about the history of Finnish cavalry and Lappeenranta as a cavalry town. The exhibition presents the history of Finnish cavalry and the associated artefacts, stories and cavalry horses in a wide and varied way.

The Wolkoff House Museum

The Wolkoff House Museum provides a view into the life of the Wolkoff merchant family. During Christmas and Easter, the museum is decorated according to Orthodox traditions.

Visit the respective museum pages for more detailed information!