Public seminar in Verla. How does the industry feel?

The Kymenlaakso Museum and the Verla Factory Museum are organizing a seminar, open to everyone and free of charge, called What does industry feel like? in Verla on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, from 5–7:30 p.m. The guided tour of the factory museum starts at 4 p.m. The event is part of a seminar series that has been organized since 2023.

In the beginning there was a tree, a river and a vision. The tree gave rise to exportable products and the foundation of the Kymenlaakso identity. The silhouette of the factory has been part of the urban and mental landscape of the region for decades. How can a strong industrial cultural heritage be turned into a resource in the present and future?

The seminars, called What does industry feel like?, provide background information on the importance of Kymenlaakso’s industry to the birth of the valley and introduce the sites that can be seen today. The strong structural change in the area makes us consider what should be preserved and what should be renewed from the industrial heritage. The industrial heritage and identity of Kymenlaakso have not stood still, but are constantly developing and strengthening. By reflecting on the past together, we are also building the future.

One of the great industrial sites in Kymenlaakso is the venue for the seminar, the Verla Factory Museum. Before the seminar, participants will have the opportunity to explore this unique UNESCO World Heritage Site with a guide.

Coffee will be enjoyed at Patruuna Pytingi, which opened in the summer of 2025 after years of closure. Its structures have been restored and the interior has been restored to the neo-Renaissance spirit of the late 19th century. Designed by Eduard Dippell, Pytingi was completed in 1885 as the residence of the factory director Gottlieb Kreidl.

In the first speech of the seminar, Verla Museum DirectorVille Majuri will talk about the restoration of Patruuna Pytingi. There will also be a presentation by the Research Manager of the Finnish Forest Museum Lusto, Reetta Karhunkorva, on the significance of forests in the lives of Finns. Finally, the Curator of the Kymenlaakso Museum, Marja Salmijärvi, will present the Kymenlaakso Industrial Heritage Route, which opened in the spring and highlights interesting factory areas for the delight of tourists. The first part of the What does industry feel like? seminar series was held at Merikeskus Vellamo in Kotka in 2023. The following year, the seminar was held at the Ankkapurha Industrial Museum. In addition, in the autumn of 2023, public events were held in Kuusankoski, Myllykoski and Kotka. The theme of the discussions at that time was “A big bang. What do the changes in industry feel like?”. All events are part of the accompanying program of the Kymenlaakso Museum’s “Wood’s Turn” exhibition.

Program 16.9.2025

16.00

Opportunity to participate in a free guided tour of the factory museum. Departure from in front of the Pyting tower gable.

17.00

Gathering at the Pyting corner. Coffee service in Pyting and a tour of the boiler room.

17.50 

Polishing room

Welcome / Verla Factory Museum & Kymenlaakso Museum

Patruunan Pytinki / Ville Majuri

Fairytales, sawmills and protection: forests in the lives of Finns / Reetta Karhunkorva

Kymenlaakso Industrial Heritage Route / Marja Salmijärvi

Discussion

19.30

Event ends