Not Flat, Not Round: The shape of the Earth was measured here – Torne Valley 1736–1737

According to Isaac Newton's general theory of gravity, the Earth is slightly flattened at the poles. The expedition to Lapland, led by Pierre Louis Moreau de Maupertuis (1698–1759) had state-of-the-art technology to make accurate measurements. Newton's theory would be confirmed if the measurements showed that one degree of the meridian arc was longer near the poles than at the Equator.

The inhabitants of Torne Valley helped the researches as much as they could. During their year-long trip, the Frenchmen experienced the light and the darkness in the North, the blood-sucking insects during the summer, and the cold during the winter. They returned to France as experienced polar adventurers.

The exhibition is a deep-dive to the history of science, the mysteries of triangulation, old maps, networks of scientists, and the early days of tourism in Lapland. But what do Celsius and Voltaire have to do with anything?

The exhibition is in four languages: Finnish, Swedish, English, and French.

The exhibition is produced in collaboration with the Maupertuis Foundation.

The exhibition is partly funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development via Outokaira Tuottamhan ry.