Paimio Electrical Museum

Unfortunately, the Paimio Electrical Museum is not fully accessible.

The ticket desk is located on the ground floor, which has a step-free entrance. The museum’s middle floor can be accessed from the opposite side of the building via an outdoor wheelchair ramp. The third floor is accessible only by stairs, as the building does not have an elevator.

Accessible restrooms are located on the ground floor.

There are plenty of chairs throughout the exhibition galleries, available for visitors to use freely. In addition, the exhibitions include a wide range of audio content.

Many of the exhibition objects may also be touched. These hands-on objects are clearly marked throughout the museum.

The Paimio Electrical Museum provides a guide leaflet in English. The leaflet is available at the museum’s ticket desk.

Museum Facilities

The museum’s exhibition galleries are located on the two upper floors. The ground floor houses the museum shop, accessible restrooms, the reception desk, office facilities, and the Vault Café (Holvikahvila), which is also available for private rental.

Getting to the Museum by Public Transport

The nearest long-distance bus stop is 150 metres from the museum. Buses connect Paimio with Salo, Turku, and Kemiönsaari. Föli regional buses also operate between Turku and Paimio. Paimio joined the Föli public transport network on 1 July 2024.

Renovated in 2022, the permanent exhibition on the museum’s middle floor explores the introduction of electricity to Finland and the changes it brought about both locally and nationally. The exhibition focuses on electricity generation and distribution in Paimio and the surrounding region, as well as the companies that have played a key role in its development.

In addition to traditional museum objects and audiovisual content, the exhibition makes use of virtual reality technology. Visitors can experience a helicopter flight in VR or try the work of an electrical technician through an interactive VR experience.

Celebrating the long and eventful history of Sähkölähteenmäki, founded in 1923, this exhibition takes visitors on a journey through the major social and technological changes of the 20th century. It highlights the company’s growth from a one-man business into a major international enterprise employing more than 2,000 people, as well as its significant projects around the world. The exhibition also shines a spotlight on the company’s founder, Iivari Lähteenmäki, whose remarkable life story and larger-than-life personality have made him something of a local legend.

The exhibition also incorporates selected content from the museum’s 2025 temporary exhibition, SLM Industry, which explores the industrial operations and development of Sähkölähteenmäki Ltd. from the 1950s to the 2000s. The SLM-kojeistotehdas (switchgear factory)—later known as Paimion Kojeistoteollisuus Oy and ABB Paiko Oy—was Finland’s second-largest manufacturer of electrical switchgear after Strömberg, employing approximately 300 people at its peak.

The Paimio Electrical Museum’s 2026 temporary exhibition, Askala Hydroelectric Power Plant – 90 Years, takes visitors through the history of the Askala Hydroelectric Power Plant, located on the Paimionjoki River, from the 1930s to the present day. The exhibition also introduces the unique natural environment of the Askala Meadow and the nature surrounding the power plant.

The Askala Power Plant was built between 1935 and 1936 by Lounais-Suomen Sähköosakeyhtiö (Southwest Finland Electricity Company). Since then, it has operated as one of three hydroelectric power plants along the Paimionjoki River, alongside the Juva and Juntola power plants. All three continue to generate electricity today and are currently owned by Koskienergia Oy.

Over its 90-year history, the power plant has witnessed many significant events. During the Second World War, electricity production became increasingly important, while the major floods of the 1960s also left their mark. In the 1970s, the power plants were connected to a remote-control system, making their operation and maintenance more efficient. By the 1990s, increasing attention was being paid to the surrounding natural environment. The Askala Meadow is still home to several prehistoric plant species, which are now protected through conservation efforts supported by the European Union.

Located on the museum’s third floor, the exhibition features a rich collection of historical photographs, many from the museum’s own archives and others generously provided by private collectors. Visitors can also watch the documentary Hydropower in Southwest Finland, produced in 2014, which places the Askala Power Plant within the broader history of regional electricity production.

For those wishing to learn more about hydroelectric power generation, the museum’s second-floor permanent exhibition on electricity generation and Lounais-Suomen Sähköosakeyhtiö provides additional context. It also displays the rare Selco-1000 remote-control system, which was once used to operate the Paimionjoki power plants remotely.

The exhibition has been curated by museum trainee Jade Torittu, museum assistant Tomas Tamminen, and executive director Jouni Lehtiranta, with the support of the museum’s volunteers and collaboration partners.

The exhibition is open from 3 June 2026 until spring 2027.