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 attracted people from near and far, and the small factory town grew into a city.

The mill ceases operating in 1980, after which it has been renovated into a vibrant cultural centre and a fun place to visit. We are at the heart of our town and less than a 1,5 h drive from Helsinki, Turku and Tampere.

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 the art gallery hosts changing exhibitions. The Forssa Museum Pattern Centre is also located in a building that used to operate as a yarn dye. This vibrant exhibition space is home to Finnish printed textiles and design. Here you can also find our museum shop.  

In addition to The Forssa Museum and Pattern Centre, the Spinning Mill Area has a Natural History Museum, a restaurant and a summer terrace, a bowling alley, photography studio, lifestyle shop and a nightclub! Visit our museums and exhibitions and enjoy refreshments 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.