Museums Finland - Attractions

EMMA is not only a museum but a whole center of art with the largest exhibition area among all Finnish museums. EMMA houses varying exhibitions of Finnish and international 20th-century modern art, as well as permanent collections of top Finnish contemporary works. The single admission covers 5 different experiences under the same roof: EMMA, the Espoo City Museum, Finnish Museum of Horology, Finnish Toy Museum Leikkilinna and Helinä Rautavaara Museum. The museum also houses a pedagogy department which provides guided tour services, teaching materials and lecture packages, as well as themed activities and programs with the aim of increased art appreciation and learning. - Paula Holst 

The National Museum of Finland was designed by Herman Geselius, Armas Lindgren and Eliel Saarinen. The museum is one of the proudest pieces of the Finnish Art Nouveau movement. The castle-like building was completed in 1906 after which it has been one of the landmarks of the city, known for its tall tower and the Emil Wikström sculpture Bear that stands guard at the main entrance. The building's courtyard and the surrounding walls form a nice addition to the structure. The National Museum's comprehensive collections spread out over four floors and about 3200 square meters (34,444 square feet). They show the development of Finland from as far back as prehistory. The exhibitions are historical and encompass archaeology, culture and sociology. Even if you go no further than the main entrance hall you will be amazed. The ceiling is decorated by Kalevala- inspired frescos made by famous artist Akseli Gallen-Kallela. He origina! lly painted them for the Paris World Fair held at the beginning of the twentieth century. The street between the National Museum and the Parliament Building has numerous statues that represent Finnish presidents and other notable people. In addition to the permanent exhibition, various special exhibitions are arranged in the museum.

The Museum of Art and Design was founded in 1873 and is the oldest of its kind in the Nordic countries. The museum building was designed by architect Gustaf Nyström. The permanent collection displays the development of Finnish and international design through 35,000 objects, 40,000 drawings and 100,000 pictures. In addition, the museum holds a database of 1000 designers. It also publishes material, gives lectures and arranges special exhibitions. The museum has both a café and a gift shop.

The little Varala museum is located in a old mansion-style building belonging to the sports academy. The specialty of the museum is in women's gymnastics, especially the type of rhythmic group exercises peculiar to Finland. The collection consists of photographs, gymnastics outfits and equipment, and literature from the field. In many ways, Finland is the promised land of museums. The density of the museum network in proportion to the population is the greatest in the world. Small specialized museums operate with modest resources and play a fundamental role in local culture. The Varala Museum of Women's Gymnastics is a good example of this kind of grassroots museum. The annual number of guests is only a few hundred, but financial profits are beside the point.

Urho Kaleva Kekkonen (1900-1986), President of Finland between 1956 and 1981 had his official residence at Tamminiemi, which has been turned into a museum in his honor. The exhibition includes a collection of Finnish art and gifts that Kekkonen received as President. Temporary exhibitions and concerts are arranged on the theme, and the Sibelius Academy holds concerts at Tamminiemi one Sunday each month at 2p. The museum also maintains the classy Café Adjutant. During summer, visitors have access to a sauna in Tamminiemi. Check the museum's Web page for more information on Tamminiemi.

The Ruprikki Media Museum provides an insight into the history and progression of mass media. The articles on display have been acquired through donations from local media companies and experts in the communications field alike. The museum beautifully illustrates the marvellous journey of the telephone, radio, computer and cell phones. The museum arranges for guided tours which last for 45 minutes and are conducted in Finnish, English and Swedish.

Located in the Olympiastadion (Olympic Stadium), originally built for the 1940 Winter Olympics which never happened, the Sports Museum of Finland exhibits the athletic history of the country. The exhibits date back to 5 BCE. Watch clips of great moments in Finnish sports history, participate in interactive exhibits, view gold medals and the history of Finland in the Olympics. The museum's most prized artifacts are the gilded spike shoe of Finnish long distance runner Paavo Nurmi, referred to as the "greatest of all time", and Finnish ski jumping champion Matti Nykänen's world championship medal collection.

This centrally situated museum was founded according to the will of art patron Amos Anderson. The museum is one of Finland's biggest private art museums and specializes in Finnish 20th-century art. Part of the museum's permanent exhibition is kept in the Söderlångvik building. There is also a pleasant coffee shop, Café Amos. The museum's special exhibitions usually consist of visual arts but may occasionally include architecture, photography or applied arts.

This museum was founded by Danish expatriate Gunnar Didrichsen and his wife Marie-Louise in 1965. Their work has been carried on by their descendants. The collection includes work by Schjerfbeck, Edelfelt, Léger, Picasso and Moore, just to mention a few. The museum's basement contains a collection of oriental art and Finland's only Pre-Columbian collection. The building was designed by famous Finnish architect Viljo Revell. It is a private home within which the museum has its own wing. In addition to the collections, special exhibitions can be seen from time to time. You can get to the museum on buses number 194 or 195 from platform 50 at the main bus station. For further information see the museum's homepage.

In this museum you can admire the spectacular work of Akseli Gallen-Kallela (1865-1931). Before it was converted into a museum it was the artist's studio and home. Gallen-Kallela himself designed this Jugend-style building, made in 1911-1913. Here you will see some of his paintings, drawings, posters, graphic work, photographs and sculptures. The museum also has a café and restaurant, in the wooden Alberga manor built in the 1850s. Three or four temporary exhibitions are held each year. You can get to the museum on tram 4, walking the two-kilometer (one mile) stretch from Laajalahden Aukio to the museum.

The town of Toijala, located 40 kilometers (25 miles) from the city centre, boasts a unique museum whose collection of locomotives includes several rarities. The museum and the locomotives are maintained by a special society in co-operation with the town authorities. Old steam locomotives are common tourist attractions in Finland. It is therefore diesel engines that the museum places an emphasis on. In the stable built in 1874, you can take a look at the world's smallest wide-rail locomotive, of Danish origin. The Locomotive Museum organizes thematic displays on rail-road traffic and exhibits related artefacts and miniature models. There is also a library in the museum.

One of the oldest and most fascinating local history museums in Finland is located in the middle of the idyllic village of Ruovesi. The museum itself was established in the 1920s, but most of the buildings date as far back as the 17th and 18th Centuries. Two separate yards have been formed on a ridge covered by pines. One is dominated by the house itself, whereas the other is completely lined with smaller buildings such as sheds and barns. Most rooms in the buildings are equipped with genuine old furniture and other artefacts. Beside the old windmill, you can practically feel the pulsing of past lives. The atmosphere inside the house is homely and cosy; everything looks so real that you would almost expect an 18th-century farmer to step into the room.

There have been people living in Kallenautio (Juupajoki) permanently ever since the seventeenth century, and the inn, established soon after the arrival of the first inhabitants, became a regular resting place for local travellers, providing horses and other means of transport. Kallenautio has been a local history museum since the 1950s. Located in the middle of a sparsely populated forest area, it is still a good choice for a stop if you are driving on road 66 north of Tampere. Maintained by the Juupajoki Society, the inn museum attracts guests with a handcraft shop, varying exhibitions and an atmospheric café.

The Armfelt museum is one of the many museums on the island of Suomenlinna. It is situated on Kustaanmiekka, on the second floor of the Carpelan barracks. The museum shows the re-assembled interior of the Armfelt family manor in Halikko. A miniature of Suomenlinna is also displayed in the museum. You can get to Suomenlinna on the ferries that leave from the Market Square.

This museum is dedicated to Finnish President, politician, Marshal and one-time regent C. G. E. Mannerheim (1867-1951). The museum, situated in his former home, was founded in the year of his death; the home and its interior have been preserved as they were then. The exhibits include Mannerheim's uniforms, medals, personal weapons and photographs, as well as his exotic east-Asian collections. The building itself is known as the Boman villa, and was built in 1873. You can get to the museum on trams 3B and 3T. For further details on Mannerheim and the museum check their informative website.