Nurmes House, heart of culture

The City Library, Kötsi Museum, Hannikainen Hall, and Gallery Tyko, for example, are located in the Nurmes House (map).

The cultural services of the city organises concerts and other cultural events in the Hannikainen Hall at the Nurmes House. The cultural services are also responsible for exhibitions at Gallery Tyko and the production of the annual Nurmeksen Joulumusiikki event. An important part of operation is cooperation with day care centres and schools and services for the elderly and the disabled.

Pielinen Karelia Music Institute also operates in the Nurmes House; it is responsible for musical education as part of the basic art education in Nurmes. The dance division of Nurmeksen Sepot Sports Association organises dance education, and the lessons are mainly organised in the Palander Hall at the Nurmes House.

Nurmes House also hosts the Upper Karelia Adult Education Centre, Café Harju and the administration of the education service centre. There is an open wifi network in the Nurmes House.

Nurmes House was designed by Arkkitehtitoimisto Helasvuo & Co. It was taken into use in January 1991. The beautiful lake and ridge scenery that opens up from inside is an essential part of the architecture of the building.

Elias Lönnrot Park is located next to the Nurmes House; there is a statue of Lönnrot in the park that was donated by Emil Cedercreutz Foundation in 2003.

City Library

The residents of Nurmes have always been eager to visit the library, and the City Library has ranked well in the national borrowing statistics. The city's schools and day care centres bring up active library-goers who are also creditably served by the mobile library.

In addition to the collections of the library hall and reading hall, there are two researcher rooms, customer computers, a scanner, a copier, a printer and wifi network available to customers. You can study the local history of Nurmes by exploring the local collections and archives.

Hannikainen Hall

The multi-functional hall at the Nurmes House has great acoustics. It is suitable for concerts, theatre and dance performances, meetings and lectures.

Cinema Kino Hannikainen also operates in the Hannikainen Hall at the Nurmes House.

Basic information:
- an auditorium with a capacity of 250 seats
- the surface area of the stage 114 m2

Hannikainen Hall has been named after the composer Pekka Juhani Hannikainen (1854–1924) who was born and raised in Nurmes.

Gallery Tyko

Gallery Tyko is a spacious and bright exhibition space with skylights and glass walls that open up to the north-east. The maximum surface area of the exhibition space is 134 m2.

The exhibition space at the Nurmes House is leased to members of organisations that are part of the Artists' Association of Finland and the Union of Finnish Art Associations. Also other private parties and organisations, such as distinguished photographers and artists in the field of industrial art or handicraft can rent the gallery for an exhibition.

Gallery Tyko has been named after painter Tyko Sallinen (1879–1955) who was born in Nurmes.

Café Harju

Cosy Café Harju welcomes both those visiting the Nurmes House and others who fancy good coffee and sweet or savoury pastries. The café is located at the street level and offers seating for 28 customers and an additional 12 seats on the terrace in the summer.

The café is open during events arranged at the Hannikainen Hall as well as in connection with movies. In addition, tickets to most events arranged at the Hannikainen Hall can be purchased in advance from the café.

Café Harju also provides catering during intervals and at various events to as many as 250 people. The unique facilities at the Nurmes House are available for events.