The best museums Finland

The Satakunta Museum presents a panorama of Finnish history and culture in the city and region from prehistoric times to the present day. The second floor features an interesting miniature reconstruction of old Pori. The on-site archives include no fewer than 300,000 photographs, maps and architectural drawings, and the collections include over 80,000 objects and items. This is an interesting and inspiring museum for young and old alike. There's also a gift store.

Built below the large 1861 Samppalinna windmill (one of Turku's most typical sights) and surrounded by greenery. A modern white stone building presenting a panorama of various trends in contemporary painting and architecture. The national figure of sculptor Aaltonen (1894-1966) dominates the ensemble. In particular, he celebrated in stone the patriots and heroes of the young, independent Finland (see the statue of the national sportsman, Paavo Nurmi, in Helsinki or The Wooden Floaters in Tampere).

The impressive ruins by the width of its red granite stones of a vast fortress built by the Russians between Finby and Prästö. The French and English destroyed it during the Crimean War in 1854. A possible opportunity for a 13 km walk between Bomarsund and Kastelholm Castle. Count 4 hours of walking on a well signposted route. Opposite, on the island of Prästo, is the small museum of Bomarsund where the results of the excavations are housed.

Recently renovated and adjacent to the local history museum, the art museum brings together works from the 20th and 21st centuries with temporary exhibitions. The Åland Islands have always attracted artists and some famous painters have made the Åland Islands their home, including some beautiful paintings by Joël Pettersson (1892-1937), Victor Westerholm and Guy Frisk. The museum of local history allows you to discover the history of the islands.

This fully renovated museum traces Åland's maritime history. Beautiful figureheads and model ships. Visit the magnificent sailing ship Pommern, a superb four-master with 29 sails. Built in Scotland by a German company, she first sailed in 1903. She was purchased in 1923 by Gustaf Erikson in Mariehamn. During the Second World War, the yacht sailed between England and Australia before returning here. One of the largest sailing ships in the world, it is now moored in the West Harbour and converted into a museum.

In the summer of 1886, the Finnish painter Victor Westerholm (1860-1919) invited artist friends to his house on the Åland Islands. This was the beginning of the "Önningeby Colony", which lasted 30 years. The artists moved to surrounding farms where the omnipresence of nature inspired them. The museum retraces this adventure: lifestyle and works. Contemporary art exhibitions, poetry evenings and music concerts. Café and shop.

The Taideomuseo, the museum of fine arts, offers temporary exhibitions only. They change every two months. They focus mainly on the exhibition of contemporary art, printmaking and Central Finnish art. On the first floor, the main Taika room is used for various workshops and public courses. For information about the various workshops and other events, please visit their website.

This open-air museum reconstructs a traditional village with its various wooden houses (granary, mills, grocery store) and exhibits old-fashioned crafts. You will discover and learn about the rural life of Virrant between the 19th and 20th centuries, but also about the life of the loggers and other forestry work in the 1950s and 1960s. You can then shop in the small souvenir shop or/and have a lunch break in the restaurant.

In a brand-new building, entitled Alto², visitors will be able to contemplate the site's two permanent exhibitions: the first, entitled "Exploring central Finland", and the second, "AALTO, work and life", obviously dedicated to Alvar Aalto. Numerous temporary exhibitions are already planned for the coming years, promising a cultural and artistic revival worthy of the genius of this unique Finnish architect. Not to be missed if you're in the area, and to be combined with the museum of the same name (near Helsinki).

The museum presents the living conditions of the workers in the 1880s. You can visit more than thirty dwellings such as the cooperative, the paper mill, the bakery, the shoemaker's workshop, the wood shed and the traditional sauna. After the visit, you can have a drink in the café of the Amurin Helmi Museum (open even in winter) or in the Amurin café where it is possible to have lunch. Guided tours are also available.

A combination of exhibitions, workshops and expertise are on display in the Museum of Crafts and Clothing. Three permanent exhibitions are installed and explore the techniques and skills of Finnish craftsmen between tradition and modernity. Festive costumes from the past are also on display, especially those from the 18th and 19th centuries. These objects are often successful, especially in terms of designwhere, once again, the country shows real talent.

Created in 1982, the museum presents the evolution of the Finnish infantry from the 1890s to the present day. The permanent exhibitions are very interesting around the history: that of the road to independence in 1918, then the years 1920-1930 before treating more particularly the Second World War. It's not only for history buffs! We advise you to book a guide in advance... South of the Infantry Museum, in Urpola, continue your visit by taking a look at the nature park (Luontokeskus).

The museum is located in the former school from which Field Marshal Mannerheim and his staff led the military operations against the Soviets. During the Second World War, the Finnish General Staff was based in Mikkeli. The town was ideally situated for the commanders, as it was at a good distance from all the fronts. On the spot, you can see the Marshal's office and an audio-visual programme on the activities of the General Staff.

The museum offers a collection of 400 mechanical musical instruments from around the world. A guided tour in English (1 hour) is included in the entrance fee. It was born from Liisa and Jürgen Kempf's passion for music and antiques. Originally from Germany, the couple were used to this type of museum in their home country and when they arrived in Finland, they wanted to share their passions. The museum was opened in 1981 with, at the beginning, 70 instruments on display.

The museum presents the history of the region, with traditional objects related to history, war traditions, religious art, folklore and a section of modern art. An interesting miniature of the town of Viipuri (Vyborg) from 1939, before its annexation by the USSR, is on display. Before the Second World War, Finland included the town of Viipuri and a large part of Lake Ladoga. Viipuri was the country's second-largest city, with 86,000 inhabitants.

The Finnish Air Force has taken over the place. Opened in 1979, it officially became the Finnish Air Force Museum in 1987. On the spot, enthusiasts of old cuckoo clocks and newer fighter aircraft will be served. The evolution of air armament since the country's independence also speaks of the economic take-off in Finland in a century. The plus: the possibility of flying on a simulator. Cafeteria and shop on site. Events are regularly organised, more information on the website.

A few steps from the centre of Lahti, at the sports complex, is this strange museum. The ski museum describes Finnish winter sports: from ice hockey to ice skating and skiing. You can discover amazing activities all on ice or snow. All this, with an interactive part and the projection of a film on the history of Nordic skiing in Lahti since the 1920s. A lift takes you to the top of the ski jump. Impressive! Seen from here, you realize the magnitude and height of the ski jump!

Gallery Becker houses temporary collections of modern art that are renewed every three weeks. For lovers of Finnish art (in photography as well as in painting or sculpture...), works are for sale or to rent for the time of your stay if you are not decided to buy! Don't hesitate to take a tour if you pass by, it's always interesting and it's the opportunity to discover small local, national and sometimes even international artists. And if you are one yourself, why not rent a place?

Outside the city, in the open air, this open-air museum allows you to discover a rural village through 40 different buildings, with for example a church dating from 1694 or the Ylikärppä manor house. We walk along the lake and enjoy the beautiful surroundings. Ideal for all ages and all travellers! In the summer, a café is open and offers a delicious salmon soup in a very pleasant setting.

The museum is spread over three floors. The first floor is devoted to prehistory from 9,000 B.C., including the hunter-gatherer way of life, as well as flora and fauna. Opposite, the history of Oulu from its foundation by King Karl IX of Sweden in 1605 to the present day. The second floor presents the different learning styles. Finally, the top floor recalls the close link between the sea and the history of the town of Oulu, which in the late ^18th century was world-renowned for its trade in vegetable tar.

Oulu has a long tradition of visual arts. Many artists have settled here, both Finnish and international. The museum works closely with the various artists to showcase them and thus offers rich and diverse exhibitions. The permanent exhibitions are complemented by temporary exhibitions of painting, sculpture and photography. The plus: workshops adapted to children to introduce them to art!

The open-air museum of Brage (Bragegarden) was founded in 1933, in the middle of nature, a few kilometres from the city centre of Vaasa. A dozen houses illustrate the farming traditions and rural settlement in the Swedish-speaking regions of the 19th century. The main building includes a richly decorated Ostrobothnian bridal chamber. There is also a seal hunting museum and a former smoke sauna. On the beach, the Virgin's Round is a stone maze, a faithful replica of the one in the Kvarken archipelago.

The Aine Art Museum is located in the centre of Tornio, in the same building that houses the main library of the city. The museum offers a permanent exhibition as well as temporary exhibitions that change every 4 to 6 years. Eila and Veli Aine, art lovers, collected a large number of works which have since been bequeathed to the museum. On the program: Finnish paintings of expressionist inspiration. A must-see if you have some time in the area (or if it's raining!). The plus: numerous events and art education workshops.

This is a historic site in Kittilä, which is also an ancient Saami sacrificial site on the shore of Lake Taatsi, near the village of Pokka. The surrounding area is superb for walking. On Myllyjoentie, you can also visit the very active tourist office, which will be happy to provide you with information on accommodation and activities: reindeer farm visits, ice fishing, snowmobile tours... Website in English (www.levi.fi).

It is one of the most important open-air museums in the country. You will discover many old houses from the 19th century and objects of all kinds... Ideal to impregnate oneself with the daily life of the local people. If you want to immerse yourself in the history and way of life of the inhabitants of Lieksa in another era, you can opt for a guided tour! The tour is particularly enjoyable with children on sunny days so that they can make the most of the outdoors.

The museum helps to understand the importance of the forest and its resources to the country and the region before the industrial take-off. The museum tour includes a visit to the nearby museum boats. In the lobby is the Nestori Center, which features permanent and temporary nature exhibits and information on hiking and canoeing in the area. Museum shop on site with postcards, natural objects...

The museum, housed in a beautiful wooden building, is a veritable house of forest culture, attracting 30,000 visitors every year. A permanent exhibition presents the essential role of the forest through the ages in Finland and the interactions between man and nature. The history and traditions of past generations are brought to life in a film. The museum also has a store and a good restaurant. It is currently being renovated.

For four generations, the house belonged to the Wolkoff family, a wealthy Russian trading family, from 1870 to 1986. In that year, Johannes Wolkoff donated it to the city as a museum. It is one of the oldest wooden houses in the city. The house is steeped in the Orthodox religious tradition of this Russian family. Namely: it is nicely decorated for Easter and Christmas according to the Orthodox traditions, ideal to discover a little more about this culture. Souvenir shop and Wolkoff restaurant right next door.

In the centre of Joensuu, near the market, this museum introduces you to Finnish, Chinese, Roman and European religious art... from the 1850s to the present day. There are also permanent collections devoted to Etruscan and Chinese art. The highlight of the visit is the superb collection of icons and paintings by the great Finnish masters: Lindholm, Edelfeldt, Enckell, Gallèn-Kallela... Temporary exhibitions are also organised.

Located south of Market Square, the open-air museum focuses on the daily life of the people of Kuopio between the 19th century and the 1930s. For this purpose, a group of 11 traditional wooden houses has been preserved, the oldest dating from the late 1700s. The interiors of the houses show the lifestyle of the Finns between the 1800s and 1930s. See also the Pharmacy Museum and photos of the city in the early 20th century.

Opened in 1957, this superb museum, the only one of its kind in Europe, bears witness to the influence of Orthodox Christianity in Karelia and more widely in Finland. The magnificent collection of icons, veritable jewels of silver and silverware, sometimes set with pearls and precious stones, comes largely from the monasteries of Valamo and Konevitsa, located on Lake Ladoga, and Petsamo, near the icy Arctic Ocean. The annexation of these territories by the USSR in 1944 led to the exile of hundreds of thousands of people. The monks saved what they could of the Orthodox treasures. On two floors, you can also admire beautiful religious objects and liturgical ornaments. See in particular the icon of the Virgin of Smolensk (1840) and the silver psalter (1762, Saint Petersburg). Also note the splendid gold-brocaded priestly vestments and the magnificent mitres. Note also the embroidered cover offered in 1551 by two bodyguards of Ivan the Terrible, a miniature iconostasis by Konevitsa (more than 200 figures painted in great detail). Also surprising are the heavy metal chains that some monks and hermits of Valamo secretly wore under their clothes. The final touch to the visit is the museum's pretty little church. Numerous permanent and temporary exhibitions also complete the collections. Cafeteria on site for a meal or coffee break.

Built in 2008, the Vellamo centre is entirely dedicated to the sea. You won't be able to miss it: this ultra-modern building is shaped like a giant wave. The design speaks for itself! This important educational structure contains the National Maritime Museum, temporary exhibition rooms, a documentation centre, a cafeteria... And this is where you should collect your ticket for the icebreaker visit in summer (5 €/adult). Good plan: the museum and the visit of the icebreaker are free for all on Wednesdays from 5 pm.

The Kuopio Art Museum is housed in a former bank and the main themes of the collections and exhibitions revolve around Finnish artists from the late 19th century to the present day - who have mainly worked on themes related to nature and the environment. You will see how visual perception and emotional experience alternate in the artists' modes of representation, with a real impact of prevailing ideologies on their work. Temporary exhibition also.

Located on the island of Suomenlinna, this museum traces Finnish military history, with a particular focus on the Second World War. Numerous exhibits and objects retrace the episode of the "Winter War" and help visitors understand the civil and military issues of the period. An impressive tank and period weapons are on display. The ticket also includes a short but unusual visit to the Vesikko submarine.

A relatively small but charming museum of modern art, the Tampere Museum of Modern Art is housed in a magnificent brick building (the oldest of its kind in the city). On the program: numerous temporary exhibitions featuring national and Scandinavian artists who have won prizes in competitions. Although the works are sometimes a little difficult to grasp, they are well contextualized. There's also a well-stocked store. A worthwhile visit if you're in the area.

The new Musée du Jouet (formerly located on the Emma premises) is an absolute paradise for children... and for those who want to play! Here, in addition to an impressive collection of toys from all ages and eras, it's all about having fun, manipulating and playing "as if". Many local families come to spend an afternoon at the museum to let their offspring play freely: a very good sign!