Finland’s Lenin Museum in Tampere, the only one outside Russia dedicated to Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin, officially closed on November 3.
Founded in 1946, the museum held exhibits on Lenin’s life and Finnish-Soviet history.
According to the Visit Finland, the museum was located in the building where Lenin first met Stalin during a secret meeting.
A fresh chapter for the site begins in February 2025 when a new museum, “Nootti” (or “Note”), opens to explore the complex Finnish-Russian relationship in the 21st century.
According to museum director Kalle Kallio, the decision to rebrand came amid visitor hesitations, as the Lenin name became “a burden” after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
Finland’s relationship with Russia has shifted dramatically in recent years.
Finland joined NATO in April 2023, transforming its 1,340-kilometer (830-mile) Russian border into a NATO frontier.
