The Kuopio Museum occupies a striking Art Nouveau building completed in 1907 on the edge of Snellman Park, a short walk from the market square. It houses both the natural history and cultural history collections of the North Savo region, making it the main general museum in Kuopio.
The natural history section covers the ecosystems of the Finnish lake district — the forests, lakes, and their wildlife. The cultural history section covers the region from the Stone Age to the 20th century, with particular attention to the rural life and traditions of Savo. The building itself, with its distinctive twin turrets and ornamental facade, is one of the better examples of Finnish National Romantic architecture outside Helsinki.