Insights from the first workshop

The project’s first workshop in Finland was held at the Salo Electronics Museum. The purpose of the workshops is to familiarize the target group, elderly men, with different types of museums, so that they can get inspiration for how the new service products can be developed. Another important purpose is to broaden the men’s perception of what type of museum services exist.

Sixteen active and idea-driven men arrived in Salo on the afternoon of March 21st, 2025. The event started with a guided tour of the museum’s Made in Salo exhibition. This exhibition presents the evolution of communication, communication devices, and the electronics industry from the late 1920s to the present day, providing a historical backdrop that resonated with the participants’ own life experiences.

Following the tour, a coffee break facilitated informal discussions. From there, the afternoon continued into a structured discussion session, where observations from the museum were collected to utilize them in the design of new product services. The workshop also included a task designed to pinpoint the activities that the target group finds most engaging and enjoyable during museum visits, gathering valuable insights for service product development. The top three preferences that emerged from this exercise included reminiscing together, fostering group discussions on museum-related themes, and collectively reflecting on things.

The afternoon was highly productive, generating ideas for the basis of museum service products as well as suggestions and perspectives on how museums can attract the target group. Thank you to Salo Electronics Museum and our lovely group of men!