Art Centre Salmela

Art Centre Salmela is one of Finland’s biggest summertime cultural events. One of the salient goals of Salmela’s activity is to preserve, enliven and take into use the cultural historically significant environment.

Salmela is situated in the historical parish village of Mäntyharju by the Lake Pyhävesi. Salmela has total of approximately 1000 m² of exhibition space. An old 1850s built parish cottage works as the oldest exhibition room. In 2000 Salmela’s exterior painting was completed which restored the building to the 1920s atmosphere. Exhibition continues at the cultural historically valuable Domander exhibition grounds which is located some 150 metres from the main building. Milieu includes the old pharmacy, post office, servant’s quarters and outbuildings. Domander exhibition grounds introduces also the new scenic piers from which you can admire the cultural landscape and art from the “boat perspective”.

Salmela’s exhibition spaces are joined together by a lovely landscape park with gazebos. The landscape park was opened in 2002 and it includes the sculpture park, gazebos and café-restaurant Kesäheinä which functions both as an exhibition space and promoter of culinary art. A pond has been built in the landscape park and in the vicinity of the pond stand the gazebos designed by architects C.L.Engel, Wivi Lönn and Aino Marsio. Two additional gazebos, tied to the railway history of Eastern Finland, are also sited at the park.