Spinning Mill Area

The historic Forssa cotton mill was founded by Swedish-born Axel Wahren in 1847. The spinning mill was soon followed by a weaving mill, yarn dye works and the first industrial fabric printing plant in the country. The developing textile industry soon attracted people from near and far, and the small factory town grew into a city.

The spinning mill ceases operating in 1980, after which it has been renovated into a vibrant cultural centre and a fun place to visit.

Visit our museums and exhibitions, and enjoy refreshments at the terrace by the 36-meter-tall chimney. You can also check out the Kuhalankoski rapids and admire the green landscape which brings together the historic industrial red-brick architecture, as well as the park that borders it.

Forssa Spinning Mill Area
Address: Wahreninkatu

Forssa museum

Forssa museum is located in an old cotton warehouse (built 1849) in the centre of the Spinning Mill Area. The museum has two different exhibitions. The permanent exhibition The City of Colourful Cloth tells the history of Forssa, its people, and its factories, and an art gallery hosts monthly changing exhibitions.

Address:
Wahreninkatu 12
+358 3 4141 5100
www.forssanmuseo.fi

Open:
Tue-Fri 10-16
Sat 10-14 (summer season 12-16), Sun 12-16

pattern centre

Pattern Centre is home to the Forssa museum's collection of printed textiles. The exhibition tells the story of Finnish textile printing, an industry that began here in Forssa in the 1860s. From the year 1951 onwards, Forssa design studio hosted textile designers and artists who created patterns of different colors and designs. These printed fabrics dressed our nation, decorated our homes, and spread across the border to international markets.

Address:
Wahreninkatu 13
p. +358 3 4141 5100
www.forssanmuseo.fi

Open:
Tue-Fri10-16
(summer season also Sat-Sun 12-16)

forssa nature museum

Forssa Nature Museum is located in the waste spinnery with the Forssa City Library. Learn about animals, nature and nature conservation of the Tavastia (Häme) region in the permanent exhibition. Forssa Nature Museum is especially popular among families with children.

Address:
Wahreninkatu 4 A
+358 44 272 9002
www.luontomuseo.fi

Open:
Wed, Fri, Sun 12-16, Sat 10-14
During summer season Tue-Sun 11-15

Forssa City Library and Exhibition Space Vinkkeli

This building (built 1874) used to serve as a spinnery for waste cotton, where the workers spun second-class cotton into a cheaper yarn. Nowadays, it is home to Forssa City Library and an Exhibition Space called Vinkkeli, which hosts temporary art exhibitions.

Address:
Wahreninkatu 4B
p. 03 4141 5405
www.lounakirjastot.fi

Open:
Mon-Thu 11-19, Fri 11-17
Sat 10-14 (closed during summer season)

Restaurant old dyer & chimney terrace

The terrace and restaurant are located at the heart of the Spinning Mill Area by the 36-meter-tall chimney. They offer food and refreshments throughout the year.

Address:
Wahreninkatu 11
+358 50 527 2037
www.vanhavarjari.fi

Lunch service:
Mon-Fri 11-14

Rento flea market

This unique flea market is located in an old foundry by the river rapids of Kuhalankoski. Walk behind the big spinnery building and cross the bridge by the rapids. The Rento Fela Market welcomes you to make some finds as well as to enjoy a cup of coffee and freshly baked goods like cinnamon buns.

Address: Uittotie 2
p. 0442560669
Rento Kirppis -website

Opening hours:
Mon-Fri 10.00 – 18.00
Sat-Sun10.00 – 15.00
Opening hours may vary during the holidays.

nightclub status

Dance the night away within the walls of an old carpenters shop (built in 1883). Enjoy music and the dance floor with the latest hits played by a DJ or a live band.

Address:
Wahreninkatu 4A
p. 03 433 5185
www.ravintolastatus.fi

Open:
Wed, Fri, Sat 22-04

forssa bowling alley

Welcome to Forssa Bowling! Book a lane or come for a game of pool or darts, and enjoy some refreshments and snack from the cafe & grill. The bowling alley is located by the river, behind the big spinnery building. Parking is available on location.

Address: Wahreninkatu 11
p. 040 016 4033
keilaforssa@gmail.com
www.forssankeilahalli.net

Opening hours:
Tue- Thu 10-20
Fri-Sat 12-23

Lifestyle Shop Hushållska

This charming lifestyle shop is located in an old factory worker’s house. These wooden buildings were constructed in the late 1840s. Here you can find a beautiful selection of clothes, accessories and household items.

Address:
Wahreninkatu 2
p. 0400 483 430
www.hushallska.fi

Open:
Tue-Fri 10-17.30
Sat 10-14

Kuhalankoski rapids and the Factory park

Check out the rapids that powered the first spinning machines, or have a picnic under the old linden trees. The Factory park by the river was founded in the 1850s. The lush Spinning Mill Area is a part of the Forssa National City Park that was founded in 2015.

Weaving Mill Area

Forssa Weaving Mill Area offers a variety of interesting shops and services within the beautiful industrial red-brick walls of an old cotton factory.

Construction work for the Forssa Weaving Mill first strarted in 1854. Less than a decade later Forssa Co. established the first ever industrial scale textile print in Finland. Since then the area has been the hub and heart of Finnish printed textiles. In the 1930's Forssa co merged with Finlayson. Finlayson increased the domestic input in textile design in 1951 by opening a design atelje dedicated for printed textiles. Industrial textile printing ended in the Weaving Mill Area 2009 and the buildings have been repurposed for commercial use.

Forssa Weaving Mill Area
Address: Kutomonkuja

rykkeri

Textile Print and Workshop Rykkeri is located within the old 1850's Weaving Mill Area.

Textile printing in Finlayson Forssa factories came to an end in 2009. This also marked the year Rykkeri was established ensuring the continiuity of Forssa textile printing tradition. Nowadays Rykkeri is the only company in Finland to print fabrics with a hand-operated 20 m printing table. Rykkeri prints its own collection of designs and operates as a print shop for other designers and producers.

You can visit Rykkeri Shop, book a tour or a printing workshop to really experience the art of textile printing by hand!

Address:
Puuvillakatu 4C
www.rykkeri.fi

Open:
Fri 12-17, Sat 10-14
Also upon request

PUHTOINEN ECO SHOP

Here you can find eco-friendly and natural cosmetics, cleaning and loundry solutuions. Puhtoinen also sells decorative items for yor home as well as locally hand-made jewellry.

Address:
Puuvillakatu 4 c 2
www.puhtoinen.com

Open:
Fri 10–18

finlayson shop

Finlayson has a selection of household textiles and clothes made both from printed and woven materials. You can find designs in classic Scandinavian style as well as some playful patterns in vivid colors and a nostalgic retro vibes. Maybe you are a fan of the Moomin cartoons. Finlayson Shop is located within the Kutomo Shopping Center next to Citymarket.

Address:
Kutomonkuja 1
www.finlayson.fi

Open:
Mon-Fri 10-18
Sat 10-16

kutomo shopping centre

The Shopping Centre has various different shops and services