Lahti is an important radio city because of its old radio broadcasting station. The Finnish Broadcasting Company was established in 1926. It was soon found that the radio broadcasting station in Helsinki was not powerful enough. The first long wave station in Finland was built in Lahti because of the city’s central location. Built in 1927, the 150-metre-high radio towers became a landmark of the city. Lahti’s broadcasting station was inaugurated on 22 April 1928. 

The popularity of radio increased quickly in the 1930s, and it became necessary to expand coverage. In 1935, a new long-wave station was completed in Lahti (today the Radio and TV Museum Mastola) with a powerful 150 kW Marconi transmitter. In 1953, ultrashort (FM) waves and transmitters were introduced in broadcasting. In the same year, the transmitter of the Lahti long-wave (AM) transmitter was replaced. In 1958, Suomen Televisio was established and began its television broadcasting. Currently, FM and television transmission operations in Lahti are run by the Tiirismaa station, completed in 1967. 

The AM station in Lahti stopped broadcasting in 1993, as the Finnish Broadcasting Company discontinued its long-wave service. The Radio and TV Museum Foundation was established in 1993 to manage the Radiomäki area and its buildings. In 1997, the Radio and TV Museum moved to the renovated AM station building located at the bottom of the eastern radio tower. The renewed Radio and TV Museum was opened to the public in May 1998. In 2014–2017, Radio and TV Museum Mastola underwent a major renovation and the exhibitions were also renewed.

Partners

The Radio and TV Museum Mastola collaborates with many operators.  

The Radio and TV Museum Foundation was established in 1993 to manage the Radiomäki area and its buildings, when the Finnish Broadcasting Company’s AM station in Lahti (now the Radio and TV Museum Mastola) was closed. In the same connection, the Finnish Broadcasting Company donated its radio and TV-related collection of devices and objects to the foundation. The foundation soon initiated co-operation with the City of Lahti to establish the Radio and TV Museum. In May 1998, the Radio and TV Museum was opened at its current location. The Foundation supports the Radio and TV Museum by means such as assisting with the implementation of events.   

Lahden Radioamatöörikerho (a radio amateurs’ club) and Lahden radioharrastajat (a DX listeners’ club) are important local partners. The radio amateurs are present in Mastola every Sunday to discuss their activities with those interested, and the Radio Amateur Station OH3R was built in co-operation with them. 

The Radio and TV Museum is part of the Trafiikki network which gathers together Finnish museums specialising in transport and communications. Read more about Trafiikki here. 

The museum has also assembled a customer panel.