Oulu Things to Do

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Are you interested in culture, the past and different aspects of life in Oulu and its region? If so, you should pay a visit to the Northern Ostrobothnia Museum. Situated close to Oulus city church, in a beautiful park, the museum presents information about the development of the city of Oulu. You will get to know facts about the (still) ongoing rising of the ground in the Oulu region after the disappearance of the ice-age glaciers, how Oulu got wealthy, how people lived during different periodes of time etc. One area is dedicated to Samuli Paulaharju (1875-1944) who spent his life in research and writing about the Sami people in the Northern area of Finland.

Address:
The Northern Ostrobothnia museum
(Pohjois-Pohjanmaan museo)
Ainolan puisto PL 26
Post code: FIN-90015, The city of Oulu
tel. +358-(0)8-558 47161
fax. +358-(0)8-558 47199
email: ppm@ouka.fi

Very downtown beside the Scandic Hotel you will find Oulus big cinema. Even though you might not understand Finnish, never mind. The films here in Finland as well as in the Scandinavian neighbour countries are shown in its original version with subtitle. You can get a flyer in the entrance hall of the cinema, listing the films of the week. Or just have a look at their webpage:

-> Finnkino, Cinema chain in Finland including Oulu (Finnish, English)

Choose language and city on the right side of the page.

Check out the official page of the city of Oulu:

-> City of Oulu, the official page.

It gives also access to the online city map of Oulu, which I decribed on another tip.

The following link brings you to THE map of Oulu. It includes almost all official interests, from cross-country tracks and panOULU hotspot locations to empty buidling lots. The map also includes the community of Kempele and the island Hailuoto.
In my opinion for a 'first-time-user' the map might seems a little unhandy, but here a short help how to get the most of it:

Finding an address:
1.) Open the link below...
2.) Click on the little flags on the top right for your language of choice (English, Finnish, Swedish)
3.) Enter the address into the uppest edit-field and click the arrow just right of it.
4.) The search result will be shown on the screen.
Remark: Notice the house numbers on the map!

But the map has MUCH more to offer...
Finding YOUR points of interest (e.g. panOULU WLAN-Accesspoints):
1.) Open the link below...
2.) Click on the little flags on the top right for your language of choice (English, Finnish, Swedish)
3.) Click on 'Detailed search'... a small window will appear with categories.
4.) Find the entry 'panOulu Access points' and click the '+' in front to view the different subcategories.
5.) Choose the entry 'panOULU Access points in' by clicking on it for finding the running ones. Clicking it will add it to the choices in the box just on the right.
5.1) You could now add also other categories.
6.) Press the arrow on the top right of this small window and your results will be displayed on the map.
7.) Close the small window by clicking on the red button in its top right corner.
8.) On the left of the map you will now find all entries listed you just have found.
9.) Click on one of the symbols on the map. A new browser window will open and show you details about the Access point. Similar information you will get to most of the points of interest.

My favorites:
Exerciseplaces -> Skiing and running tracks

The Market Square in Oulu is really where everything happened, a real fruits and vegetables market as well as fresh fish. Add to this the quick traditional food stands and terraces you do not need to walk much further then this place to pass your day.

Oulu is a very modern place and it's one of Europe's most expanding cities.
There are very old and very new neighbourhoods.
In the picture you can see a building that is actually situated on a vast concrete pillar.

Not very well know due to its remote location foreigners can get to know the life in the north in the19th century. With approximately 40 building ranging from windmill to smokesauna to stables. Open only during the summer.

Toripolliisi bronze statue guards the Oulu market square and keeps up the order in the area.

Unveiled in 1987, the statue was funded by collecting money among denizens of Oulu. The name of the statue refers to three policemen or bobbies that used to work in the market square area in 1934 - 79.

The statue is the only public monument from Kaarlo Mikkonen, an artist born in nearby city of Kajaani.