Närpes between museums, crafts and open-air theatre

In Närpes, history comes to life through actual buildings and collections. The open-air museum Öjskogsparken, in the heart of Närpes, is home to more than twenty historic buildings. Visitors can explore preserved houses and learn about traditional Ostrobothnian rural life and old crafts. This gives a stay a clear cultural focus: rather than simply reading about past ways of life, you encounter them in a range of buildings and exhibitions.

Historic houses and glimpses of everyday life

A special part of Öjskogsparken is Bengtsgården, a traditional Ostrobothnian farmhouse dating back to the 18th century, with authentic interiors. These show how a prosperous farming family lived in the 19th century. The two dates point to different historical periods: the farm’s origins go back to the 18th century, while the interiors depict the life of a family in the following century.

The Pharmacy Museum also offers a glimpse into a specific historical setting. It is arranged as a pharmacy from the late 19th to the early 20th century. The museum includes a sales area, a laboratory for making medicines, and a room where medicinal plants were dried and distillates produced. A 19th-century schoolhouse adds to the open-air museum’s buildings. Öjskogsparken thus brings together different glimpses of the past: rural homes, school history and the work of an earlier pharmacy.

Red Kyrkstallarna and memories of war

Just outside the town centre are the Kyrkstallarna: around 150 small red buildings without windows. In the past, horses were kept there during church services; today, visitors are free to walk among the buildings. Their simple design and traditional purpose offer a different historical experience from the furnished interiors at Öjskogsparken.

The Stella Polaris Museum in Öjskogsparken offers another historical perspective. It tells the story of the secret intelligence operation Stella Polaris in the final phase of the Second World War; the exhibition includes historic radio equipment. Here, the focus shifts from everyday life and architectural history to a specific wartime event. Visitors wishing to explore different themes in a single day can find both glimpses into past ways of life and an exhibition about this operation in Närpes.

Theatre, art and seasonal experiences

Närpes Theatre is also located in Öjskogsparken. Every summer, it stages open-air performances in the Närpes dialect. The entire audience stand rotates, revealing new stage settings in the wooded landscape. The theatre thus combines a recurring summer performance tradition with a distinctive change of viewpoint during the show.

Öjskogsparken’s summer programme also includes guided tours, family activities, craft days, exhibitions and traditional events. Specific offerings may vary, so check the event dates when planning your visit. The Greenhouse Museum also has a seasonal focus: during the growing season, visitors can learn about traditional tomato cultivation. Photographs and tools from the early years of tomato growing illustrate the history of this cultivation method.

For contemporary art, the art gallery is located in Mittistan House, Närpesvägen 16, in the heart of Närpes centre. The locations offer practical guidance when choosing your holiday apartment: the art gallery is in the centre, Öjskogsparken is in the heart of Närpes, and the Kyrkstallarna are just outside the town centre. If cultural sites are to shape your stay, you can take these differences into account when choosing where to stay.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Veteli, Hyytiälä, Liminka, Karhula, Alastalo, Vahto, Nivala, Pornainen.

Back to the main travel overview: Northern Ostrobothnia.