What started in Oulu in 1979? Who was Toivo Ruokko of Sotkamo, the electrical engineer who became the world's number one technology guru and entrepreneur for a while? How did the measuring device developed by Ruokko cause the Berlin Wall to fall in 1989? Why did his production facilities in Haukipudas burn down in 1998?
The Oulu technology boom peaked twenty years ago. Between the 1960s and the 1990s, the northern industrial town turned into one of Finland's most important centres of information technology. The new exhibition entitled The Hype in the Arctic Silicon Valley  tells the story of this intense period by combining fact and fiction. In parallel with the imaginary story of the high-tech inventor Toivo Ruokko, the exhibition presents the history of the information and communication technology industry in the Oulu region. The powerfully visual exhibition is brought to life through the science centre's hands-on exhibits and demonstrations as well as fascinating objects and artworks from the collections of the Northern Ostrobothnia Museum and the Oulu Museum of Art.
The incredible story of Toivo Ruokko and his Raakku measuring device has been written by author Antti Leikas, who has been part of the Oulu ICT world since the mid-1990s. The exhibition architecture is designed by Kalle Nurminen of Oulu City Theatre. The exhibition is produced by Museum and Science Centre Luuppi, and is part of the Finland 100 Years jubilee programme. It is supported by the Finland 100 project of the Prime Minister's Office of Finland and the city of Oulu, and is Luuppi's first joint content production project.

Oulu
Oulu Museum of Art
The Hype in the Arctic Silicon Valley
December 2, 2017 – January 6, 2019

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