Our Changing City

Do you know what was in a place important to you 100 years ago? Some beloved buildings are now only visible in photographs, while others have been faithfully serving different users for decades or even centuries. Our Changing City exhibition will present the change in the built environment of Kouvola and the places important to its residents, combining historical and contemporary photography with the experiences of the city’s residents. 

The transformation of the city will be examined through the decades, not only from the centre of Kouvola but from different parts of the wider city.  Landscapes are modified, buildings built – and demolished – for a variety of reasons, which also divide opinion. The city and its inhabitants are a living entity in constant change.   

Come and admire the gems of urban photography in the museum’s collections and get a sense of the historical layers that surround us. Let’s take a tour of the streets on our changing city. 

Photo: Rosberg’s business building in Jaala in the early 1900s and Paavolainen’s shop, which has been operating in the same location for a long time, in summer 2024. Colour photo by Jyri Kaukiainen.