The Oulu Museum and Kärpät Oulu invite citizens to share their ice sports memories. The collected memories will be presented in a small exhibition during Kärpät’s celebratory match in Raksila on December 12, 2026. Memories are also published on the Oulu Museum’s website.
Everyone is welcome to participate in the collection – even simple memories are welcomed. The museum is interested in memories from the rinks and the ice, but also from the stands and dressing rooms. For example, cycling to the rink with their ice skates on, pedals between the blades, or joyful ringette matches.
On top of memories regarding Kärpät Oulu, the museum is interested in other ice sports stories as well. For example, regarding figure skating, bandy, cheerleading, or ringette. Has any one person stuck in your mind? What tournament trips are you still reminiscing about?
Memories are collected from February 12 until May 31. Send your memories for the collection here (in Finnish).
THE NEW OULU MUSEUM INVITES THE CITIZENS TO JOIN – EXPERIENCES BUILD A SHARED STORY
The Oulu Museum’s exhibitions will open in the fall of 2026 in the Museum and Science Centre Tiima. The museum’s new operational model and exhibitions are planned together with Oulu’s citizens.
“The renewing Oulu Museum offers more opportunities to highlight the everyday lives of citizens. The microhistorical perspective highlights the experiences of people, forming a multi-voiced image of the city. In this case, regarding ice sports”, Museum Lecturer Maiju Oikarinen explains.
Oikarinen is responsible for material collection and compilation.
Staff at the Oulu Museum and Science Centre are excited about the new cooperation model. They hope that diverse organizations and communities will find methods to tell their stories at the museum.
“Cooperation with Kärpät Oulu is an inspiring and inventive example of how we, as a cultural organization, want to be closer to current phenomena and the everyday lives and celebrations of Oulu’s citizens. We want to be open to these forms of cooperation to ensure that all citizens can recognize themselves in our museum’s contents and be proud of our shared and living cultural heritage”, Oulu Museum and Science Centre’s Director Pekka Olsbo rejoices.
Museums are becoming more open and participatory meeting places, not just collectors and presenters. In a modern museum, citizens can highlight their own experiences and participate in the formation of our cultural heritage.
SKATES AND ICE SPORTS ARE INTEGRAL TO OULU’S WINTERS
The ice hockey team Kärpät Oulu has been an integral part of Oulu’s winter sports for decades. The team has connected people over age and generation boundaries.
“The story of Kärpät Oulu began 80 years ago. These decades fit countless memories and stories of ice hockey and ice sports in Oulu. Together with the Oulu Museum, we want to collect and preserve these stories and present them to the citizens. History is formed by ordinary, everyday moments – and the best stories are made of those moments”, Kärpät Oulu’s Sales Director Ilkka Mikkola ponders.
Kärpät mention that the unofficial Kärpät Museum’s collection already includes multiple items. Now, the goal is to collect memories instead of items. Everyone is welcome to participate in collecting memories, even everyday memories are welcome.
Cooperation between the Oulu Museum and Kärpät Oulu began with a video project in which cyclists were animated on Oulu’s streets. The idea of displaying the video on the ice resurfacer during a match led to discussions. They realized that 2026 is an excellent time for cooperation: Kärpät is celebrating its 80-year anniversary, and the Oulu Museum is opening in Tiima.
What happened to the original idea of animation cyclists on ice? “You can see that at the next match”, Oikarinen winks.
“Oulu Museum is participating in the match on February 14. Ice sports memories can be shared directly with us.”