The museum block contains buildings from four centuries. The Pedagogy (schoolhouse) is reportedly Finland’s oldest surviving school building and profane (non-church) wooden building within an urban setting. It was completed in 1696 and represented the modern architecture of the time. In addition to the school room there was the Synod house, where the Ostrobothnian clergy would convene. The school primarily taught Latin grammar, writing and arithmetic. In the mid 18th century botany was added to the curriculum. Nowadays the building serves as home to the K.H. Renlund Museum.
Standing opposite the schoolhouse, the building known as the Lassander House was built in 1748, originally on Kustaa Aadolf Street, and moved to the Museum Quarter, It is one of the oldest surviving houses in Kokkola. Kokkola was one of the first cities in Finland where two-storey houses were allowed to build. The house has been inhabited by the Lassander and Ahl merchant families, among others. The building is now a museum in which you can acquaint yourself with the living environment of an 18th century burgher family.
The third building in the block, constructed in 1818, is a Exhibition Hall of the K.H. Renlund Museum. The building was originally constructed as a residence for the teacher, but it has also been a primary school and the city library. The exhibition hall houses temporary exhibitions on art and cultural history.
The newest building in the museum quarter is the house Kieppi – Kokkola Museum of Natural History, where you can explore the wonders of nature in a variety of ways. Veikko Salkio’s unique nature collection, Viljo Nissinen’s rare mineral collection and Armas Järvelä’s magnificent butterfly collection are all under one roof.
In summer there is also the Waffle Café (Vohvelikahvila) in the museum yard. The café is housed in the former Forsnabba Bakery, which operated in the early 20th century. After the bakery ceased its operations, the building also served as a children’s day nursery and a maternity home. The Waffle Café has been operating in this historic bakery building since 2004.
The Church