A new temporary exhibition “At the Crossroads – The History of Cross-Border Rail Traffic between Finland and Sweden” opens at The Museum of Torne Valley on Monday, January 27.
The main theme of the exhibition is the railway connecting Tornio and Haparanda, the importance of which was recognized even before its completion in 1919. During World War I, global postal services had to circumvent Europe’s battlefields, and warring world powers exchanged prisoners of war along extended routes. The twin cities at the northernmost tip of the Gulf of Bothnia became a central hub for all this traffic.
With the electrification of the cross-border railway, it was deemed the perfect time for this exhibition. “We want to highlight issues relevant to our society today and show their importance through history,” says museum director Titta Kallio-Seppä. “The over-a-century-old railway bridge crossing the Torne River and its electrification have become significant topics of discussion and decision-making in both Finland and Sweden.”
This extensive exhibition is a production of The Museum of Torne Valley, with the script created in collaboration with docent and historian Ilkka Teerijoki. The exhibition is supported by the Torne Valley Council (Tornionlaakson neuvosto – Tornedalsrådet).
The opening ceremony for the “At the Crossroads” exhibition will begin on January 27 at 4:00 PM, and the event is open to everyone. The opening is part of the public celebration of the electrification of the Laurila–Tornio–Haparanda railway connection, Rälsfest – Rail Celebration, which will also take place that evening at the Tornio and Haparanda train stations.
The exhibition will be open to the public at The Museum of Torne Valley from January 28 to May 18, 2025.
A publication featuring the exhibition texts will be available for purchase at the museum. The publication will be produced in Finnish, Swedish, and English.
About the Exhibition
Haparanda and Tornio, Sweden and Finland, were connected by a railway in 1919. Passenger train traffic between Tornio and Haparanda ceased in 1988. Now, train services are resuming with the electrification of the railway in 2025. Why was the connection originally built, what did it mean for transportation, and why was it decommissioned? Today, the railway connection is again seen as a vital link ensuring supply chain security between Finland and Sweden and as a gateway to Europe.
The exhibition is designed as an imagined shared station for Tornio and Haparanda. A locomotive with cars has been recreated using exhibition elements. The display features a wide variety of railway workers’ uniforms and tools of the trade, such as a handcar. Visitors are greeted by a life-sized conductor. Children can play train games at a ticket booth built in the exhibition space.