Uula Neitola is the new pilot of the Wilderness Museum Foundation

Neitola continues to work determinedly to establish the museum. It will take time to materialize, but the museum industry is used to that, she says.

A Master of Philosophy has been appointed as the new CEO of the Finnish Wilderness Museum Foundation Uula MaidenHe took office on June 1, 2026.

Neitola has strong experience in the museum sector and in the development of exhibition activities. She has previously worked at the Gallen-Kallela Museum, the National Gallery, the Museum of Architecture, the Oulu Museum and Science Centre, the Maritime Centre Forum Marinum and the Finnish Maritime Museum, among others.

Neitola believes that previous assignments provide a strong foundation for launching a new museum.

—I have worked a lot with change projects related to museums. The role of CEO of the Wilderness Museum Foundation largely consists of implementing changes and visions, Neitola says.

A new museum won't be created overnight.

The Finnish Wilderness Museum Foundation was established in Imatra in 2021 to develop a national Wilderness and Nature Culture Museum. The goal is to build an entity that brings together the stories of hunting, fishing, hiking and the relationship with nature.

The project has been carefully prepared and now it is time for implementation.

The museum is planned to be located in the old Imatra Town Hall. A lot of background work has been done, including the architectural design of the building.

The realization of the museum requires state funding, and a decision on this has been awaited for a long time.

The average museum visitor is already starting to get impatient, but for the museum world, there is nothing exceptional about the situation.

—Establishing a new museum is a multi-year process, typically requiring 5–10 years from planning to implementation. The project requires close collaboration with experts from various fields, and progresses from conceptualization and preliminary studies to financing the organization, collection work, and construction. However, money is the most essential of these.

The museum's operations are based on collections and research. The Wilderness Museum's collection already exists. Collection expansion and research are progressing in parallel with the planning.

Imatra was chosen in a tough competition

Neitola was already familiar with the Wilderness Museum. He had followed the discussion about establishing the museum in Oulu at the time – the city was one of the applicants for the museum, but was ultimately left out.

—There were several people willing to host the Wilderness Museum at the time. Choosing Imatra as the location for the museum has been a victory for the city, something it is worth being proud of. The project still needs to be worked hard.