Interview on 8 April 2020 at the Uusimaa border that was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo: Hannu Häkkinen/Finnish Heritage Agency

Contemporary documentation

Recording the history of the future through contemporary documentation.

The National Museum of Finland documents contemporary phenomena and the turning points of society, as well as the government’s actions and its interaction with people.

The documentation is carried out through various methods, such as interviews, photography, observation and collecting items. The projects involve various partners, such as the Picture Collections of the Finnish Heritage Agency.

Over the last few years, we have documented phenomena such as the environmental impact of plastic, civic activism related to climate change, the costume culture of Romani in Finland, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on society.

The National Museum of Finland selects a few items that symbolise topical phenomena and trends for its collections every year. At the same time, the phenomena around the item is also recorded through other methods, such as interviews.

For more information, please contact:

Maria Ollila, tel. +358 (0)2 95 33 6226, maria.ollila@kansallismuseo.fi