Founded by Honorary Commercial Counsellor Johan Askolin in 1897, the Isnäs sawmill operated until the 1990s. All operations at the sawmill ceased in 1995. Rumour had it that all buildings in the old sawmill area would be demolished and the unique old Bolinder steam engine from 1918, still intact in the engine room, would be sold as scrap metal.
The Isnäs industrial area is part of the National Board of Antiquities and Ministry of the Environment’s publication Rakennettu kulttuuriympäristö. Valtakunnallisesti merkittävät kulttuurihistorialliset ympäristöt (Built cultural environment. Cultural-historical environments of national significance) from 1993. Established in 1996, the village committee thought that demolishing the buildings and selling the steam engine for scrap would be a major cultural scandal. This gave the impetus for the Isnäs Steam Engine Museum project. The village committee managed to buy the buildings necessary for carrying out the museum project.
The steam engine museum building has been renovated and the roof and chimney have been rebuilt. The steam engine has been fitted with a computer-controlled system to demonstrate its operation. Other premises are rented to small-scale entrepreneurs and artisans to support the museum project. This is the only museum of its kind in Finland. It is of unique significance despite the fact that the actual sawmill building was demolished and levelled to the ground.
Address Edöntie, factory region, 07750 Isnäs
E-mail mia.aitokari(at)gmail.com
Phone +358 40 550 4402
Opening hours
June-August
Sat-Sun 12 -16
For Groups by appointment
Entrance fee
Adults 2 €
Children 1 €
Groups by appointment
Guiding
Guidance by appointment