Maritime Centre Vellamo

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Maritime Centre Vellamo was opened in Kotka in July 2008, but it has attracted attention since the very early stages: the building is large and extraordinary in its design. It integrates various materials, and its shape resembles that of a large wave. The building was designed by Architect Ilmari Lahdelma.

The exhibitions of the museums present the land, sea and everyday life. The items on display are from the collections of the Maritime Museum of Finland and Museum of Kymenlaakso. Built in a genuine harbour environment, Vellamo is a new type of a museum where the visitor may encounter quite surprising museum experiences.

In the main exhibition "North Star, Southern Cross" of the Maritime Museum of Finland, the visitor can travel on the sea through time and place, on ships, at ports, in distant countries, on familiar shores, on the surface and under the depths. The fixed points of the voyage are the North Star of our northern sky and the Southern Cross of the southern hemisphere, which guide travellers both on the home waters and far-away oceans.

The foremost themes of the main exhibition "Flow" of the Museum of Kymenlaakso are efficiency as well as the relationship between an individual and the community. These themes are approached from a number of angles, and the topics covered include perception of time, significance of money, boundaries and crossing them, intensification in all sectors of life, and on the other hand the relaxing things: leisure time, spending time at a summer cottage, joy of life.

In addition to the main exhibitions, Vellamo houses the Coast Guard Museum, changing exhibitions, the Information Centre Vellamo, museum shop Plootu and restaurant Laakonki.

The museum quay is a mooring place for vessels such as the museum icebreaker Tarmo and coast guard vessel Telkkä. Built in Newcastle in Britain in 1907, the Tarmo is the oldest icebreaker in the world. The cranes at the City Port are also part of the museum unit.