The Lakeland - Finland - page 371

wearing snowboots. The ground floor has temporary exhibitions. Pick up English explana-
tions at the ticket desk.
Kuopion Korttelimuseo MUSEUM
(Old Kuopio Museum; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.korttelimuseo.kuopio.fi ; Kirkkokatu 22;adult/child
€5.50/free; 10am-5pm Tue-Sat mid-May-Aug, 10am-3pm Sep-mid-May)
This block of old town houses forms one of Kuopio's delightful museums. Several homes
- all with period furniture and decor - are very detailed and thorough and the level of in-
formation (in English) is excellent. Apteekkimuseo in building 11 contains old pharmacy
paraphernalia, while in another building it's fascinating to compare photos of Kuopio from
different decades. There's also a cafe serving a delicious rahkapiirakka (a local sweet
pastry).
Suomen Ortodoksinen Kirkkomuseo MUSEUM
(Orthodox Church Museum; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.ortodoksinenkirkkomuseo.fi ;Karjalankatu 1)
This museum holds an excellent collection of items brought here from monasteries and
churches now in Russian-occupied Karelia. It was being renovated at last visit, but reopens
in 2015.
Kuopion Taidemuseo GALLERY
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.taidemuseo.kuopio.fi ; Kauppakatu 35;adult/child €5.50/free;
10am-5pm Tue-Sat)
This features mostly modern art in temporary exhibitions, but also displays permanent
works. Look out for paintings by local Juho Rissanen (1873-1950), whose realistic por-
traits of working Finns contrasted with the prevalent Romanticism.
VB Valokuvakeskus MUSEUM, GALLERY
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.vb.kuopio.fi ;Kuninkaankatu 14;adult/child under 12yr €7/free;
11am-6pm Tue-Fri, 11am-4pm Sat & Sun Jun-Aug, closes one hour earlier Sep-May)
Excellent summer exhibitions grace this photographic centre, devoted to Victor Bar-
sokevitsch, one of the pioneers of Finnish photography.