The Aboa Vetus Museum - Finland's Only Archaeological Museum
I love a good ruins museum. I go to practically every one I can – including the Christiansborg ruins in Copenhagen and the Medieval Museum in Stockholm. When I ventured out to Turku for the day, visiting the Aboa Vetus Museum was on my to do list.
The museum itself isn’t so large, but it does provide a fascinating insight into what life was like in Finland in old times. This is especially interesting as there aren’t that many historic sites like this in Finland; the country was agricultural and largely a peasant society for hundreds of years. So, to see ruins like this in Turku is a real treat.
What makes this museum even more interesting is that it is the only medieval & archaeological museum in Finland.
Here’s my guide to the museum and what you can see here.
Aboa Vetus Museum in Turku
Be sure to read my detailed travel guide for Turku, including practical information and things to do.
About the Aboa Vetus Museum
The museum opened in 1995 as two independent museums. Originally the plan was to only build Ars Nova, the contemporary art museum. However, during the construction several artefacts and structures dating back to the Middle Ages were discovered. This led to a major archaeological excavation that was commissioned and eventually transformed into the museum Aboa Vetus.
In 2004, the two museums were combined. Today they are among the most popular tourist venues in the entire region of Southwest Finland.
Aboa Vetus is the only archaeological museum in Finland and is known for its archaeological activities. After the initial excavations in the 1990s, the museum has continued archaeological research since 2005. Public engagement and community archaeology have a pivotal role in the museum. Research is done by both archaeologists and engaged volunteers.
The name "Aboa Vetus"
The names of the museum can seem a little strange, and I promise it’s not the Finnish name for the centre. Rather, the names come from the Latin words “Aboa Vetus”, meaning the “Old City of Turku”, and “Ars Nova”, referring to modern art.
About the Building
The building was built in 1928 and was a palace for a prominent family constructed by a tobacco manufacturer called Hans von Rettig. The palace now houses the museum.
Entering the building itself is impressive – you see the ruins as soon as you go in!
How These Buildings Became Ruins
It’s worth mentioning that Turku used to be the second largest in the realm of Sweden and the largest city in Finland. Turku emerged as a centre of trade, religion and administration.
The medieval city of Turku was largely built by the German traders who came here, and it was governed by both the Germans and the Crown and its officers. At its peak, Turku was a medium-sized town in the Baltic region, the second-largest town in the Swedish realm, and the religious, economic, military and administrative centre of Finland.
The population was up to 3,000 people. There were German burgher leaders, Swedish-speaking burghers, and the nobility living here, along with the educated people, who were typically Swedish-speaking. Artisans consisted of Finnish or Swedish-speaking craftsmen, master builders and shippers. The Finnish-speaking servant class also incorporated craftsmen, fishermen, shepherds, builders, brick molders, carpenters, maids, comb makers, sailors, sauna attendants and the executioner.
After the Great Fire of Turku in 1827, most of the city had to rebuilt. During the rebuilding process, the ruins of the medieval city were buried underground.
What You See in the Museum
In the museum you learn about medieval history and archaeology in Turku. Old Turku was divided into four districts. Aboa Vetus is in one of the quarters. This quarter is the Convent Quarter – it was where the wealthy merchants and craftsmen who built grand houses of stones and bricks. Items found during the excavations, such as pieces of ceramics belonging to tiled stoves, splinters of expensive glass and gold rings, show signs of luxury.
The museum exhibits archaeological finds that tell the story of Turku and its development. The exhibition includes the ruins of the old medieval church, cemetery, streets and city walls of Turku. One of the examples is the old cellar, which was built in the 15th century as a house extension. After the Great Fire of Turku, the building became part of a bathhouse, with the building housing the water tanks. The buildings are recreated beautifully – for example, on the ruins of the medieval church are light projections showing where the arches would’ve been.
The displays are well-written and provide useful information about each building. Besides the ruins, there are display objects showcasing various objects they have been found. For example, there is a display with keys from the 13th century. Underneath is a description of how windows were constructed during that period. Some of the displays are written from the perspective of people who would’ve lived here.
Particularly fascinating is the section of goods indicating the importance of trade from other countries. For example, stoneware jugs from Rhine in Germany and glass from the present-day Czech Republic and Venice were found here. After smoking tobacco arrived in Turku in the early 17th century, townsmen smoked claypipes made in the Netherlands. In the 18th century, fine porcelain came all the way from China. However, the most important imported product was salt. Other food products included grain, dried fish, wine, spices, sugar and coffee. Products exported from Turku included hides, butter, lard, seal oil, wooden dishes and timber.
There is also a special exhibition about the Hanseatic merchants who were coming to Turku, and a large part of Turku’s plan is thanks to them.
There are also interactive elements such as excavations where visitors can explore the city for themselves.
Practical Information
Local name
Aboa Vetus
Getting Here
The museum is located in the city centre of Turku, so it’s very easy to get there on foot.
Admission & Prices
Opening Hours
The museum is open all year round and is typically closed on Mondays.
You can view up-to-date opening hours on their website:
Facilities
There is a café and museum shop where you can buy souvenirs and gifts. The café is excellent and is open daily from 11am – 6pm and serves a great lunch buffet.
Guided Tours
The museum offers guided tours in several languages, and you can buy a ticket in advance online or on the spot.
There are also QR codes on the buildings that link to more detailed information, so you can also take your own self-guided tour.
Enjoy your visit to the Aboa Vetus Museum!
Let me know in the comments if you have any questions, or contact me at emma@thehiddennorth.com if you need help planning a trip to Finland!
Be sure to read my detailed travel guide for Turku, including practical information and things to do.
