The Friends of the Finnish Glass Museum Association
The Friends of the Finnish Glass Museum is a society that supports research and cultural events in the Finnish Glass Museum. The society helps to create awareness about glass art by promoting cultural and art events in the glass museum.
The society annually donates to the museum historical and contemporary glass objects and rare publications relating glass industry, as well as participates in publishing glass related literature.
The Friends of the Finnish Glass Museum has about 700 members.
Annual membership fees are (2008) EUR 50 for member bodies and EUR 20 for individuals.
Members are invited to all openings and events at the Finnish Glass Museum and also receive circulars presenting current affairs in the field and documenting specialist expertise on glass among the membership.
Advantages and discounts given to the holder of the member cards:
- free entrance to the Finnish Glass Museum
- 50 % discount on the entrance fee at the Finnish Hunting Museum
- 10 % discount on the Glass Museum's publications
- 0,80 EUR discount when having lunch at the museum's café
- discount (by the value of the purchase) at the M. Okkolin crystal cutting workshop
- advantages and special offers presented in circulars, concerning e.g. the Glass Day's auction and sales stands
The association organizes outings and trips in the spring and autumn as well as various events.
The main events are the Glass Day and the Collectors Event and Glass Market, both held at the Finnish Glass Museum. Events are open for the public.
The Glass Day, "Lasipäivä", is an annual meeting for collectors of glass. It is usually held on a Saturday at the end of January. There is a glass auction, members of the association sell old and new glass and experts identify glass objects.
2009 Glass Day: Sat. 24 January
Other annual event is the Collectors Event and Glass Market, "Keräilytapahtuma ja kirpputori", in June. Dozens of sales stands are set outside of the museum and filled with mainly Finnish glass.
2009 Collectors Event and Glass Market: Sat. 6 June
You will find the current dates and information e.g. auction catalogue on Events-page (in Finnish).
The association's board of governors consists of the chairman, the vice-chairman, and members. Dr. Heikki Matiskainen, Director of the Finnish Glass Museum and curator Kaisa Koivisto are the association's invited permanent experts.
Current board
The Friends of the Finnish Glass Museum Association
The Finnish Glass Museum
Tehtaankatu 23
FI-11910 Riihimäki
Art glass, Bottle N 526
Oiva Toikka, Nuutajärvi 1970-1972