Modern art Helsinki

This superb 1960s house, the work of architect Viljo Revell, houses a beautiful little private museum of modern and pre-Columbian art, hidden away on an island off Töölö Bay. It's easily reached by bike or bus, as the island is linked to the mainland by a bridge. Marie-Louise and Gunnar Didrichsen accumulated such an artistic heritage that they had to extend their private home and convert part of it into a museum. Today, exhibitions of contemporary art are held here. Permanent exhibitions of pre-Columbian art are housed in the basement. The park surrounding the house is home to a number of modern sculptures, including the largest collection of Henry Moore's work outside the UK. The museum's architecture is truly remarkable. The Didrichsens had originally approached Alvar Aalto to build their home, but he turned them down for lack of time, recommending Viljo Revell as the only architect capable of building their dream home. The museum's interior has kept some of the house's rooms intact. The living room, with its art library, enchants the mind with its large bay window overlooking the pine trees and pebble beach below. The bathroom, dining room and bedrooms are surprising in their modest size and simplicity. During the Didrichsen couple's lifetime, this rationalist architectural jewel was already giving pride of place to works of art.