The Lenin Museum in Tampere, Finland—the only museum outside Russia dedicated to Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin—closed officially on Nov. 3.
A new political museum at the same site will open on Feb. 15, 2025, Finnish authorities announced. The museum will reportedly focus on Finnish-Russian relations.
The Lenin Museum was founded in 1946, becoming the first permanent Lenin exhibition located outside Russia. It is housed in the building where Lenin first met Joseph Stalin during a secret Bolshevik meeting.
The exhibitions told the story of Lenin's life along with the history of Finnish-Soviet relations.
Museum director Kalle Kallio told AFP that the institution's name had "become a burden" following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The name was off-putting to visitors, though Kallio clarified the museum has no connections to the Russian state.
The forthcoming museum will be called "Nootti" ("Note") and will include information on how Finland's relationship with Russia has evolved in the 21st century.
Relations between Finland and Russia have deteriorated since Russia's full-scale invasion. In response to the war, Finland joined NATO in April 2023, extending the NATO-Russian border by roughly 1,340 kilometers (830 miles).
Martin Fornusek
