The Coast Guard Museum
The unique Coast Guard Museum provides a comprehensive overview of the history of the Coast Guard and the Finnish Border Guard's maritime operations and equipment, from the prohibition era to present day. The Coast Guard Museum operates in Maritime Centre Vellamo in the City of Kotka as part of Kymenlaakso Museum as a joint project of the Finnish Border Guard and the City of Kotka that began in 1999.
Explore the history of the equipment used by Coast Guards
The equipment on display at the Coast Guard Museum includes:
- the VMV 11 patrol vessel
- the Beaver and Sääski surveillance aircrafts used to patrol the borders
- coast guard uniforms from different eras
- a hydrocopter – a vehicle developed for travelling on ice – which visitors can enter and then listen to sound recordings of coast guards’ recollections
- miniature models of Finnish Border Guard ships from the 1960s to the 1990s.
A highly realistic sea rescue simulator and an activity point that provides important boat safety information are also located in conjunction with the collection.
The Coast Guard Museum is located in Kotka
The architecturally impressive new building at Maritime Centre Vellamo was designed by architect Ilmari Lahdelma. The Coast Guard Museum, Kymenlaakso Museum, Maritime Museum of Finland and Vellamo Information Centre all operate under the same roof.
Maritime Centre Vellamo is located at Tornatorintie 99 in the Kantasatama district of Kotka.