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Raahe Museum (or the Museum of Raahe) is the oldest museum of local history and culture in Finland. The museum is located in the town of Raahe, in Oulu province.
From the beginning of the 20th century, the museum has been located in the old customs house, which was built in 1848 and originally served as a place for hiring Sailor during the Age of Sail. The building has been preserved almost in its original condition.
The main collection of the museum consists of donations made in the 19th century. These encompass unusual natural items and other objects from foreign countries, including exotic souvenirs brought to Raahe by .
The collection has been expanded to include items of cultural history, with many relating to Raahe's history. Many of these items, such as the miniature sailing boats and paintings thereof, reflect the maritime history of the town.
The collection also includes weapons, coins, textiles and toys from different eras.
The most famous treasure of the museum is " The Old Gentleman", the oldest surviving diving suit in the world. It is located in one of the buildings of the Raahe museum, the former crown granary. It was made of calf leather and dates from the 18th century. Its exact origin is unknown but the foot parts suggest a Finnish origin.
The suit, which was used in short underwater work like checking the conditions of the bottom of a ship, was donated to Raahe Museum by Captain Johan Leufstadius (1829–1906), who was a master mariner, merchant and ship owner.
The conservator of Raahe Museum, Jouko Turunen, tailored a perfect copy of the old suit in 1988, fittingly called The Young Gentleman. The copy has been successfully tested underwater several times.
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