‘A War Within Customs’ draws record visitors

An exhibition entitled “A War Within Customs” on customs during the 1918 civil war attracted an all-time record audience in summer 2018.

The exhibition was held between mid-May and the end of September where a total of 6,099 people visited the museum, said a press release issued by Finnish customs.

The figure may still rise, because in October one can still see the exhibition by booking a guided tour.

In summer 2018, the number of visitors rose by almost 800 compared to the summer before. As in previous years, the number of foreign visitors increased. This year, they made up almost half, 48 per cent, of the visitors. The Customs Museum had visitors from a total of 41 countries.

For foreign visitors, the theme of the exhibition was surprising and shocking – for them, the tragic Finnish civil war was completely unknown. Many of them could identify with the complex theme, even though it was difficult to identify the parties of the conflict. It was clear that the experiences of customs officers a hundred years ago also made an impression on Finnish visitors, and many of them got a new perspective on the important position of customs. Many of the Finnish visitors said they had come to the museum specifically because of the theme of the exhibition. The permanent exhibition rarely leaves anyone cold either, even if one is not particularly interested in history.

Groups can still visit the exhibition in October by booking a guided tour in advance. The guided tours are free of charge. At the end of October, the exhibition will be dismantled, and the preparations will begin for a new exhibition to be opened next spring.

The next exhibition of the Customs Museum will focus on the 50 years of detector dog activities at customs. It will open in mid-May 2019.