More than 15,000 people visited the National Police Museum in 2011 – a survey shows that visitors were highly satisfied with the museum

Publication date 24.1.2012 0.00
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The National Police Museum attracted about 15,300 visitors in 2011, which was at previous year's levels.

According to the feedback received by the museum, visitors were highly satisfied with the museum. According to a visitor survey, about 94 per cent felt that their expectations had been met or even exceeded. A total of 362 people visiting the museum between June 2010 and July 2011 responded to the survey.

"The feedback we received in the visitor survey was really encouraging. A total of 87 per cent of the respondents rated the permanent exhibition good or very good, while 85 per cent said that the special exhibitions were good or very good. The Pokela police station or the children's section was also rated as well thought out. After all, 79 per cent of the visitors said that Pokela is good or very good," explains Aimo Aitasalo , the museum superintendent.

"Some of the visitors expected more thrill, action and objects that one can touch. We will consider all development suggestions and in fact, we are already planning to introduce the 'Big Bobby', a huggable police officer that can be touched. Another new attraction will be the chair used for taking mugshots, which will provide visitors with an opportunity to be photographed as a 'criminal'," Aitasalo adds.

The website of the National Police Museum has become more and more popular each year. In 2011, there were about 17,000 visits to the Finnish-language website, compared with about 13,500 in the previous year.

The special exhibition 'From Okhrana to Supo' still open

The special exhibition ' From Okhrana to Supo - state security police in Finland ' will be on display at the National Police Museum until the autumn of 2012. In the exhibition, visitors are introduced to the tools used by the security police and can take a look at a cell in which those suspected of treason were kept during the Second World War. Among the exhibits is an armoured car belonging to the Finnish Security Intelligence Service (Supo), which has been used for carrying dignitaries visiting Finland.

In its next special exhibition, opening in spring 2013, the National Police Museum will present the fictional image of the Finnish police officer during different decades.

"There will be a vote on the Facebook page of the Finnish Police in which the public can have a say on the content of the exhibition by voting for their favourite or most hated fictional police character. The character can have appeared for example in a television series or books. At least the three characters with the most votes will appear in the new exhibition and the best arguments in favour of the choices and the best comments will also be displayed," Aitasalo promises.

You can cast your vote until the end of February 2012.

» Vote on the Facebook page of the Finnish Police  (the page is in Finnish)

News Police Museum Press releases imported from old site