The professional crafts collections are a presentation of broad themes of professional arts and crafts, with foundations in the Craft Museum of Finland’s field work and active contemporary documentation activities since 1984. The collection is mainly focused on private practitioners and entrepreneurship. In-depth materials entered into the collection include interviews, objects, photographs, and videos. 

The Imperial Senate ordered on 14th December 1888, that an allowance be granted for the operation of a handicraft museum beginning in 1890.The resulting museum operated under the Society of Industrial Art and was located at the Museum of Art and Design (operating today as the Design Museum).