Exhibitions

Rantasipi – Tales from the World of Wilderness Hotels

Aika 10.05.2025
04.01.2026

Rantasipi was a legendary wilderness hotel chain that began in Central Finland when Rantaloma Ltd. was founded in Viitasaari in 1965. Designed by architects, the hotels prominently featured Finnish materials and design in both their construction and interiors. Typically located in scenic rural landscapes or on the outskirts of cities, their remote settings quickly earned them the nickname ‘wilderness hotels.’ The exhibition takes visitors on a visual journey through the hotels and resorts of the 1960s–1980s, offering a unique perspective on Finland’s tourism history through the lens of Rantasipi.

Laajavuori Nightclub, Volker Von Bonin / Finnish Heritage Agency CC BY 4.0

"A new era and new modes of transport have brought with them new needs and comforts. General well-being appears to be on the rise. Progress is steadily moving forward. It may not be many decades away when travellers arrive to admire our island-like waters and forested hills by the roads of the skies."

- An Illustrated Travel Guide to Viitasaari and Its Surrounding Parishes, 1912

In 1912, an illustrated travel guide to Viitasaari and its surrounding parishes was published, introducing the region’s sights. The guide foresaw the future of tourism with remarkable prescience. Its words took root and later served as a spark for the development of tourism in the region more than 50 years later.

Rantasipi – Stories from the World of Wilderness Hotels
In the 1960s and 1970s, modern holiday and conference hotels sprang up across Finland, complete with dance restaurants, sauna facilities, and rental cottages. These hotels were designed by architects, and Finnish materials and design played a prominent role in both construction and interiors. The hotels were typically located in scenic countryside settings or on the outskirts of cities. Due to their remote locations, they soon earned the nickname “wilderness hotels”.

Rantaloma is Born in Viitasaari
Rantaloma, later known as Rantasipi Oy, was founded in Viitasaari in 1965. The company’s core idea was to develop tourism in Central Finland by offering high-quality holiday accommodation in the heart of the region’s natural landscapes, particularly targeting the Central European travel market. The company’s origins were influenced by the proactive tourism development efforts initiated by the Regional Council of Central Finland as early as the 1950s, aiming to highlight the region’s tourism potential. By the 1960s, when the economic significance of tourism was increasingly recognised at a national level, Central Finland swiftly took action.

Sipi sipi… fly on the wing!
This exhibition tells the story of Rantasipi in Central Finland and its journey to becoming the country’s second-largest hotel chain—sometimes in brief glimpses, at other times with a touch of embellishment. The exhibition takes visitors on a time-travelling journey through the hotels and holiday villages of the 1960s and 1970s, focusing especially on the company’s Central Finnish locations in Viitasaari, Joutsa, Saarijärvi, and Jyväskylä. At the same time, it offers a unique perspective on Finnish tourism history through the distinctive lens of Rantasipi.

Exhibition inquiries:
Curator Johanna Rekonen
Museum of Central Finland
johanna.rekonen@jyvaskyla.fi+358 50 313 9743