The museum’s permanent exhibition presents Kainuu’s history and culture from prehistoric times until the mid-1900s.
The exhibition begins with the interesting prehistoric times in the region and related discoveries. The exhibition takes you from the different stages of the Kainuu Castle to the self-sufficient day-to-day lives of Kainuu residents and the early stages of industrialisation in Kainuu. You can also explore the history and growth of the city of Kajaani from a small town with wooden buildings to the capital of the region. The artefacts and images displayed in the exhibition originate mainly from the museum’s own archives compiled since the 1930s through active collection efforts and donations.
The upstairs and the small gallery room downstairs have changing exhibitions.