The museum is situated in a very beautiful place by Kuorevesi lake. There has been settlement in the area of the museum for a very long time; a settlement dating back to the Stone Age was found close by in Korpelanranta in Lahdenkylä. Kuoreselkä is at its widest by the museum and it offers great fishing spots even for the modern day fisherman.

When coming to the museum from the direction of Mänttä, you pass the Hovila bridge, which has the 'thousand markka view'. The name comes from the thousand markka bill in use after the war, which featured a view very much like the one of Joensuu. It is said that the picture on the banknote was drawn from Joensuu. The name Joensuu (rivermouth or estuary) comes from the Kertejoki river that flows out of Kertejärvi lake. The estuary is hidden by trees by the Valkkinen house almost opposite the museum. The houses' net pools and the church boats were situated in Joensuu.

Between the Hovila bridge and the museum is the beautiful old shop building of Hovila and on the other side of the museum is the Kuokkala club house. At one point Kuokkala housed a savings bank and the office of the municipality. The house of Valkkinen housed a supply office during the depression. Joensuu was the 'centre' of Kuorevesi in the beginning of the 20th century. From there it slowly moved to the village of Suinula and then to Halli because of the garrison and the aircraft factory.

Pohjois-Kuoreveden kylät ry (Society of Northern Kuorevesi villages) operates in Joensuu. The society has renovated the Kuokkala club house with EU funds and as a community effort. Every year the village society holds a swimming competition on the shore of Kuokkala, Wanhan Tonnin Uinti (The Swim of the Old Thousand). The museum has been open to the public also at this time.

Pohjois-Kuoreveden kylät (Society of Northern Kuorevesi villages
Suinulan kyläyhdistys (Suinula village society)
Wanhan Tonnin Uinti (The Swim of the Old Thousand)