The Adopt a Monument programme created by Pirkanmaa Regional Museum is one of the tools developed for the attainment of the vision “the cultural environment is maintained for the people, with the people”.

It is founded on the realisation that the only way to achieve culturally sustainable development is to employ soft conservation, a method that rests on communication and facilitation. It is related to the concept of 'soft power' meaning that the “best propaganda is not propaganda” and the goal is to change and influence social and public opinion through more innovative and participatory ways.

This insight has been crucial for the developers of the Adopt a Monument programme, especially since the museum is the regional authority on antiquities, which annually issues hundreds of statements on the preservation of the cultural environment in conjunction with land use and development. The museum staff realised that this was not enough, because cultural environment sites are local, and need to be recognised and appreciated by the local community in order to be properly maintained.

The programme staff has, over time, come to understand that the desire to do something for one’s environment comes from within. Although the desire to preserve a site can be sparked by cognitive reasons, the motivation and the need to act must be present beforehand. 

The Adopt a Monument programme commenced in Tampere in 2008- 2010, initially by developing adoption methods for archaeological heritage. In 2013-2016 the programme expanded to include historical buildings and moving forward will take in public art monuments and natural heritage sites.

The programme is supported by professionals from the Pirkanmaa Regional Museum: archaeologists, researchers and a master builder who specialises in restoration. They provide advice on management of sites and to develop participatory methods.

Sites range from Iron Age hill forts to cairns, stone walls, cellars, houses and music pavilions. Preferred sites are usually prominent and symbolic structures.

Maintenance is agreed on between owners, volunteer groups and the Regional Museum. A management plan considers the condition of the site and the adopter’s resources. It guides Adopters on suitable uses of the site and safety issues.

Adopters collect information about their site and disseminate it throughout their own networks. Information signs, financed by the state and prepared together with the museum, efficiently publicise management efforts and convey information at the site.

Total budget

2008-2010: approx. €30,000

2013-2016 approx. €109,000

for 2020 (permanent activities): €55,000 (one full time person per year staff costs and a €5,000 operating budget for organising camps, community work events and social gatherings for volunteers).

Source:

Municipality: 33% during 2013-2016 / 15% from 2020 onwards

State: 65% during 2013-2016 / 85% from 2020 onwards

Admission fees to camps, product sales - 2% during 2013-2016.

The Finnish Heritage Agency, the City of Tampere and some municipalities in the region, the State Forest Agency and volunteers are involved. Many volunteers commit to long-term management of a single site; others prefer to work for shorter periods of time to contribute, for example, to the restoration of a building in a pop-up workshop.

Adopt a Monument is now a permanent activity in the Pirkanmaa Regional Museum. Responsibilities are overseen by the Finnish Heritage Agency and the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture, since part of the museum's funding comes from government grants.

Adopt a Monument is a small project producing spill over effects for well-being and heritage management well worth the resources put into it. It promotes modern flexible maintenance of cultural heritage.

Main results include:

• 23 adopted sites (archaeological sites or historical buildings) in Tampere Region and 48 in Finland and growing.
• More than 3,000 volunteers involved in Finland.
• Adopt a Monument activities are in progress in at least two other European countries.

Rapid urbanisation and construction, dwindling resources of public administration, and a growing sense of discomfort amongst the public from feeling disempowered and excluded raise concerns about preservation of cultural heritage.

The idea of Adopt a Monument originated in Scotland. Since 2018 it has been expanding to other areas in Finland and abroad.

Main lessons learned include:

• Find volunteer groups first. Suitable cultural heritage sites are everywhere – look for one that is meaningful for them.
• Facilitate, support and educate, avoiding top-down methods, and let people do concrete work with their hands. However, the maintenance work at the sites should be done systematically with proper plans and instructions.
• Allow volunteers to have freedom, trust them. Keep listening to your audience and evolve accordingly.

Adopt a Monument homepage

Short movie on Adopt a Monument

Adopt a Monument facebook page