Exhibition: Rally Finland – 75 Years of Gravel, Heroes, and a Travelling Circus

When it began in 1951, the Rally of the Thousand Lakes was a modest event – defined above all by its famously long route. Over the decades, “Jyskälä” (the event’s Finnish nickname) has grown into a World Rally Championship highlight: an international carnival of speed and Finland’s largest sporting event by audience numbers.

This exhibition takes museum visitors out to the gravel roads, pine forests, and makeshift field parking that define rallying in Central Finland. It also brings to life the camaraderie of the volunteers who make the event possible, and explores how the rally has evolved – sparking excitement, debate, and passion in the hundreds of thousands who experience it each year.

Visitors can get up close to legendary rally cars, immerse themselves in the most iconic moments of Rally Finland, and glimpse how Jyväskylä and the Central Finland region have transformed alongside the sport through the decades.

The exhibition is produced by the Museum of Central Finland, in collaboration with the Mobilia Automobile and Road Museum and AKK Sports Oy, organiser of today’s WRC event, Secto Rally Finland. The exhibition also draws on the expertise of rally communities and hobbyists from all over Finland.