Research of archaeological artefacts

Due to the relocation of The Finnish Heritage Agency, the research services for archaeological collections have ended. New permit and research applications will be accepted again starting from January 1, 2026. The customer service for archaeological collections is expected to open in early 2026 in new customer service premises at The Finnish Heritage Agency's Collection and Conservation Center.

Domestic and foreign experts as well as students completing their theses study the artefacts. It is possible to get to see archaeological artefacts for the purpose of master’s or doctoral thesis, or for other research purposes.

Researching of artefacts must be agreed in advance. The aim is to avoid unnecessary transportations, and usually the materials are researched in the premises of the Finnish Heritage Agency. If the research takes place elsewhere than in the agency’s premises, or if a sample will be taken of the artefact for research purposes, a permit from the Finnish Heritage Agency is required. When using the materials, the user regulations of the Archives and Information Services must be followed.

Application form for the use of materials

The artefacts which are requested to be taken out must be identified as accurately as possible by using main numbers. The taking out request must be made at least 2 weeks prior to the desired time of the research. The handling permit form must be signed on site at the Finnish Heritage Agency. The time of the investigation must be agreed upon separately. When the materials have been taken out of the collections, the applicant will be notified of this.

If applicants want to research the materials elsewhere than in the Finnish Heritage Agency’s premises, or if the research involves taking a sample, a research permit application is sent by e-mail to kirjaamo@museovirasto.fi. A research permit application must indicate what the research aims to discover and how possible costs are funded. The permit conditions require that a copy of the analysis results is delivered to the archives of the Finnish Heritage Agency.

Processing time is the period starting from the time of initiation of the matter and ending in the decision. The request process is initiated when the request arrives in the Finnish Heritage Agency’s registry office. Research permit applications related to antiquities are normally dealt with within 60 days.

The archaeological collections of the historical era have been catalogued in the historical item collections of the National Museum of Finland until the end of 2010. The National Museum’s Collection and Research division deals with the requests related to these findings.