History of the Foundation

The Gallen-Kallela Museum is maintained by the Akseli Gallen-Kallela Museum Foundation sr. Registered in 1958, the foundation's mission is to preserve the art and life's work of Akseli Gallen-Kallela and to promote public interest in it.

The foundation was established by Mrs Kirsti Gallen-Kallela-Väisänen, Mrs Pirkko Gallen-Kallela and Miss Aivi Gallen-Kallela, The Kalevala Society Foundation and the Finnish Cultural Foundation Support Association (Suomen Kulttuurirahaston Kannatusyhdistys ry). The museum's art and cultural history collection was donated by Kirsti Gallen-Kallela-Väisänen and Pirkko and Aivi Gallen-Kallela. The museum's current art and cultural history collections, which are of national and international importance, have been built up through donations from Kaari Raivio, Olavi and Ritva Kauranen and other private individuals and organisations.

Foundation Today

The foundation's operations have developed significantly in recent years. The museum's current strategy and vision 2030: Gallen-Kallela Museum is an oasis of knowledge and experiences of the artist Akseli Gallen-Kallela, which preserves cultural heritage and generates well-being. The museum's operations are ecologically sustainable.

The foundation manages the museum's collections, develops the museum's operations and also maintains unique, protected properties: the Tarvaspää artist's studio house (museum building), Villa Linudden and the Akseli Gallen-Kallela's traditional smoke sauna. The foundation preserves the cultural and historical heritage of the museum site. Museum garden and areas around the museum building are valuable parts of the museum visitors experience and museum aims to protect areas biodiversity. The museum site and its properties are protected by the Building Protection Act. The entire museum area with its buildings has been inventoried as a built cultural environment of national importance by the Finnish Heritage Agency.

 

The museum foundation is governed by a Board of Directors, which in 2023-24 will include:

President: Johanna Piisi, CEO

Vice-President: Jukka-Pekka Flander, ympäristöneuvos

Tuomas Aho, lawyer

Elina Heikka, art historian

Jaana Jalonen, CEO

Antti Linnovaara, kulttuurineuvos (Finnish honorary title)

Maaria Märkälä, artist

Tuulikki Terho, rakennusneuvos (Finnish honorary title)