The current collection of the museum is founded on the Old Finnish Collection, the Russian Collection and the Foreign Collection. The domestic collection, originally assembled in 1906–1945, is currently made up of more than 3000 objects. The Old Finnish Collection has a preponderance of swatches, ribbons, and cloth squares, as well as various wood weave works such as baskets, bark containers, and bark boxes. Most of the wooden objects are boxes, containers, various household objects, and miniature models.

The crafts education collection at the Craft Museum of Finland includes materials illuminating the history and practices of education in the craft hobby, school crafts taught in elementary schools, as well as vocational education in crafts organized by various providers. The field of crafts education is broad, as there have been a large number of schools providing crafts education, not to even mention associations and organizations that have engaged in courses or informational activities. 

The old foreign materials derived from the collections of the State Home Industry Museum have been complemented by more recent international items. In both cases, some of the objects are donations from travellers interested in preserving cultural heritage. Some of these contributions also include archival and photographic material that complement the objects themselves. 

In this taxonomy, domestic crafts refer to practical and utility objects needed and made in a rural culture and agrarian households and homes prior to the 1970s. 

The material and tool collections comprise data on more than 11,000 objects classified into categories. They make up about 25% of the museum’s entire collection. 

The National Costume Center of Finland is dedicated to preserves national costumes and related materials from Finnish-speaking territories. The collection also covers costumes previously considered national costumes that continue to be worn as such today, as well as local and provincial costumes. 

The craft hobby collections comprise material starting from the 1970s, covering eras when the importance of handicraft in people’s lives has shifted and crafts are no longer strictly a matter of necessity. The craft hobby collection is made up of materials created in the course of the free time of their creators, by their own choice and interest, and reflects the significance of handicraft to their identities and very lives. Hobby crafts are created on the basis of voluntary action. 

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. 

Handicraft objects and collections related to handiwork can be found in several museums in our country, but the Craft Museum of Finland is the only one that focuses solely on the themes and subject areas of handiwork.

Are you planning to build a new detached house or to have one built?

BLOUN, a glassblowing company based in Sastamala, Finland, manufactures colourful and unique lamps and other interior design products from recycled glass. The objects are shaped by free-blowing, without moulds or machines, just as glassblowers have done for the past two centuries. Bloun wants to preserve this ancient craft by combining it with modern design.

This year marks the centenary of the start of systematic national costume work in the Finnish-Swedish Folk Culture Association Föreningen Brage. To mark the anniversary, Brage has put together an exhibition on the history of folk costume work.