Samuli Paulaharju exhibition

Samuel Jaakonpoika Paulaharju was born in Kampinkylä, Kurikka in 1875. In a family with 10 children, he was born as the 3rd youngest. Later on the name Samuli got established for him. Paulaharju was interested in collecting folklore even as an 11-year-old, having gotten his inspiration from The Finnish Lifelong Learning Foundation's article "Mitenkä kansansatuja kerätään" (en. "How to collect folk-tales"). Paulaharju utilized these instructions in action later on in life. From his father Jaakko he got great skills in painting, however unlike his father, Samuli Paulaharju didn't go on to paint wagons. He instead immortalized items, landscapes and buildings on his long journeys collecting folklore and heritage.

There are many things on display in the exhibition. Along with Samuli Paulaharju's many pieces of literature as well as photographs, there are many items used to collect folklore and heritage, such as an old folding camera, photographic plates, painting tools and watercolour paintings. You can also look at Paulaharju's bicycle, hig luggage and pictures of people that were important to him. To concretize the length of Paulaharju's journeys, there's a huge map on the the wall on which you can see almost all of his destinations in the years 1900 to 1943.