National Museum of Finland, Helsinki
The National Museum of Finland tells the story of Finnish history from ancient times to the present. Its architecture reflects the Finnish national romantic style, characterized by grey granite and green copper roofs reminiscent of medieval churches and castles. Inside, the decor is mainly in the art nouveau style.
Designed by architects Herman Gesellius, Armas Lindgren, and Eliel Saarinen, the museum was constructed over five years, from 1905 to 1910, and opened to the public in 1916. It was officially named the Finnish National Museum after Finland gained independence in 1917. Bullet holes from the Civil War that occurred shortly after are still visible on the museum doors. The main entrance is adorned with famous ceiling frescoes depicting scenes from the national epic poem Kalevala, painted by Akseli Gallen-Kallela.
The museum's permanent exhibition is divided into sections showcasing coins, medals, decorations, silverware, jewelry, and weaponry. 'The Prehistory of Finland' features artifacts dating back to the Stone Age. Additionally, there are exhibits covering Finland's history from the Middle Ages to the early 20th century, including the periods of the Swedish Kingdom and the Russian Empire before the Industrial Revolution.
One of the favorite exhibits within the museum is the hands-on, interactive VINTTI section. Among other features, it offers preview to all the six permanent exhibition sections.
Why You Should Visit:
The entire museum is quite engaging. This engagement will keep you there for a while as you go through the different periods of Finland, rising from the bottom of the sea to what it is today.
Tips:
The exhibits are extensive, so allow yourself at least 3-4 hours to see all.
Easy to spend the whole day with a family, as there is a restaurant on site. Younger guests must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
Designed by architects Herman Gesellius, Armas Lindgren, and Eliel Saarinen, the museum was constructed over five years, from 1905 to 1910, and opened to the public in 1916. It was officially named the Finnish National Museum after Finland gained independence in 1917. Bullet holes from the Civil War that occurred shortly after are still visible on the museum doors. The main entrance is adorned with famous ceiling frescoes depicting scenes from the national epic poem Kalevala, painted by Akseli Gallen-Kallela.
The museum's permanent exhibition is divided into sections showcasing coins, medals, decorations, silverware, jewelry, and weaponry. 'The Prehistory of Finland' features artifacts dating back to the Stone Age. Additionally, there are exhibits covering Finland's history from the Middle Ages to the early 20th century, including the periods of the Swedish Kingdom and the Russian Empire before the Industrial Revolution.
One of the favorite exhibits within the museum is the hands-on, interactive VINTTI section. Among other features, it offers preview to all the six permanent exhibition sections.
Why You Should Visit:
The entire museum is quite engaging. This engagement will keep you there for a while as you go through the different periods of Finland, rising from the bottom of the sea to what it is today.
Tips:
The exhibits are extensive, so allow yourself at least 3-4 hours to see all.
Easy to spend the whole day with a family, as there is a restaurant on site. Younger guests must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Helsinki. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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National Museum of Finland on Map
Sight Name: National Museum of Finland
Sight Location: Helsinki, Finland (See walking tours in Helsinki)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Helsinki, Finland (See walking tours in Helsinki)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Helsinki, Finland
Create Your Own Walk in Helsinki
Creating your own self-guided walk in Helsinki is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Helsinki's Historical Churches
Because of Finland's former affiliations with neighboring Sweden and Russia, it's no wonder that the religious tapestry of Helsinki is dominated by Lutheran and Orthodox churches. Nonetheless, there are also some beautiful architectural expressions of other Christian denominations like Anglican and Catholic to be found in the city, each holding a special place in its religious narrative.... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
Helsinki Introduction Walking Tour
Helsinki was created as a trading town by Swedish King Gustav I in 1550, but it is believed that Swedish settlers had arrived here in the 1300s. Sometimes called the 鈥淒aughter of the Baltic,鈥� Helsinki is a port town through and through. Its close connection to its Baltic neighbors, Sweden and Russia, has shaped its history for better and worse over the last 400 years. Both Finnish and Swedish... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles
Finnish Souvenir Shopping Tour
When in Helsinki, souvenir shopping can be an exciting adventure allowing you to bring home a memorable piece of Finland worth having in your household. Depending on your inclinations, these could include sauna bucket and ladle, traditional Finnish music instruments, hand-woven long-tufted rugs (ryija), Finnish vodka made from Arctic-grown berries, or something else.
Those in the know can give... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.9 Km or 1.2 Miles
Those in the know can give... view more
Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.9 Km or 1.2 Miles
Seurasaari Island Walking Tour
Seurasaari Island in Helsinki is best known as the home to the popular open-air museum. This venue offers a glimpse into the life of Finland's countryside in various epochs, showcasing old, mainly wooden houses, some of which 鈥� once lived in by famous people in Finnish history 鈥� were transplanted to the island and thus became part of the museum.
Among the notable attractions here are... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
Among the notable attractions here are... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
Helsinki's Architectural Jewels
Typified by Nordic minimalism and refinement, the architecture of Helsinki is shaped primarily by the early neoclassical style and a regional form of Art Nouveau called Jugendstil. Still, it is the later work by modernist architect, Alvar Aalto, as well as the thriving contemporary designs deeply rooted in nature and local craft that give Helsinki, as well as Finland in general, their current... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.9 Km or 1.2 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.9 Km or 1.2 Miles
Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip
16 Distinctively Finnish Things to Buy in Helsinki
Shopping in Helsinki for an extraordinary range of tasteful and distinctive products is made simple and easy with the creation of a design district in the heart of the city which has many department stores, shopping centers, and boutique shops bunched together. The Finnish capital is a good city for...
Finnish Sweets and Pastries
The country of thousands of lakes and the magical homeland of Santa Claus, Finland is also a major producer of quality chocolate and many other sweet delights without which surviving long winter nights in this Nordic part of Europe would have been far too boring. Big on coffee, the Finns love their...