Focus to Infinity

The Hämeenlinna City Museum’s photography collection contains approximately 150,000 images, spanning from the late 19th century to the present day. The photographs document Kanta-Häme, its people, events, and changing landscapes. Focus to Infinity highlights a small yet meaningful selection from this vast collection, connecting images and scenes from the past with the present day.
The exhibition is built on the idea that every viewer sees their own story in a photograph. The same applies to the invited image narrators of the exhibition, each of whom has selected three images from the museum’s collection that speak to them personally. In the exhibition, Mayor Olli-Poika Parviainen, visual artist Kukka Pitkänen, author Juha Itkonen, rally co-driver Enni Mälkönen, and the preschool children of Jaarlin päiväkoti Aulanko JAP share their relationship with Hämeenlinna — the memories the photographs evoked and the insights they gained about what Hämeenlinna has been, and what it means to them today.

The images and stories in Focus to Infinity invite visitors not only to recognize familiar scenes but also to reflect on their own connection to the city.

The exhibition emphasizes the voices of the city’s residents — both past and present — as well as those who have passed through it. Through this exhibition, the museum also seeks to raise awareness of the Hämeenlinna City Museum’s photography collection and the importance of preserving it. Among the works chosen by the image narrators are photographs by Enok Rytkönen, a bookseller and avid amateur photographer, and Carl Otto Saxelin, a professional photographer and versatile entrepreneur.