Top 10 must-see museums in Helsinki region

Keen to explore Finland’s rich art, design and cultural heritage? In the heart of Helsinki and the surrounding regions you’ll find an exceptional collection of museums from cutting-edge contemporary art spaces to architecture gems and immersive nature centres. 

Here are ten must-see institutions that invite you to experience Finland from fresh angles, all within easy reach of the city. To see a list of the best museums in Finland, read our article "Must-visit museums in Finland."

Article last updated in November 2025.

If you wish to educate yourself on Finnish art history, the choice is easy. The Ateneum in the heart of Helsinki has Finland’s oldest and largest collection of art. This historically important building has been the home of Finnish art since 1888, and its collection represents a substantial part of the Finns’ shared national heritage. Until the 1980s, the Ateneum also housed an art school where many of Finland’s great artists once studied.  Here you can see the masterpieces of Finnish art by Albert Edelfelt, Akseli Gallen-Kallela, and Helene Schjerfbeck among many others. The collection has also pieces from some international artists you probably recognize, such as Paul Cézanne, Paul Gauguin, and Vincent van Gogh.

Kiasma is the crown jewel of contemporary art in Finland, as well as a meeting place for people and art. The museum is located at the heart of Helsinki and its collections form a significant part of Finland’s cultural heritage.  Kiasma hosts exhibitions, performances, and events ranging from colour play for toddlers to art workshops for grownups as well as guided tours.

The building was designed by American architect Steven Holl and was opened to the public in 1998. The architecture was inspired by the Finnish natural light, which changes with the season and time of the day. Observe the light as well as the zeitgeist through art, and exchange thoughts over a glass of crisp wine and a savoury snack at the Kiasma Café. The museum shop is also a fantastic place to find personal gifts.

The latest addition to the Helsinki art museum scene is Amos Rex which opened in August 2018. Amos Rex was named after Amos Anderson, a Swedish-speaking Finnish businessman, newspaper publisher, and patron of the arts. Amos Rex currently is home to one of the largest private art collections in Finland hosting popular exhibitions. Amos Rex has also received international attention for its unique architecture.

You will find the museum in the Lasipalatsi (“Glass Palace” in Finnish) building in central Helsinki, but the exhibition space is in fact located underground. The curved domes at Lasipalatsi Square have become a popular meeting spot, where you are free to rest, play, and capture selfies using the exciting landscape as a backdrop.

This popular destination for Sunday strolls has also been described as “rural Finland in miniature”. Seurasaari Island’s Open-Air Museum has 87 separate buildings brought from various parts of the country, which give you a tangible experience of how the Finns lived in the countryside between the 18th and 20th centuries. The tour guides’ fascinating stories will bring the history of the smoke cabins’, crofts’, and manors even more to life.

After the tour, take a seat at the island’s charming café for refreshments and continue to linger in the historical ambiance. Or pop over to the museum shop for some unique souvenir finds!

Design is part of everyday life in Finland, and nowhere is that more evident than at the Architecture and Design Museum. Here, form meets function, and creativity is rooted in simplicity and purpose.

The museum brings together two national treasures: the Museum of Finnish Architecture, founded in 1956, and the Design Museum, dating back to 1873. Together, they showcase the evolution of Finnish design and architecture, from Alvar Aalto’s iconic forms to today’s bold ideas.

Located in a beautiful 19th-century building in the heart of the Design District on Korkeavuorenkatu 23, the museum offers an inspiring journey through iconic objects, architectural models and forward-looking exhibitions. Visitors can explore the ideas and values that have shaped Finland’s built environment and everyday aesthetics. A new joint Museum of Architecture and Design is also in the works, set to open a bold new chapter for Finnish creativity in 2030.

HAM, the Helsinki Art Museum, is where the city’s art truly lives. Housed in the former 1930s Tennis Palace (Tennispalatsi) in Kamppi, once a sports arena and now a modernist landmark, HAM cares for more than 10,000 artworks, which includes the public art collection of the city of Helsinki.

Inside, the museum presents thought-provoking contemporary exhibitions alongside Finnish favourites. One highlight is the pair of magnificent frescoes by artist and author Tove Jansson, the creator of the Moomins, painted for the building’s restaurant in the 1940s. HAM’s spirit is distinctly Helsinki: open, curious and intertwined with everyday life. HAM's mission is to belong to all Helsinki residents and to maximise the presence of art in the city.

The Finnish Science Centre Heureka is a perfect attraction for a curious mind and a popular family favourite. Heureka is in Vantaa, but it is easy to reach by public transport from Helsinki city centre. At Heureka you can expand your knowledge of science and technology in an engaging and interactive way. 

The science centre hosts themed exhibitions, planetarium films, educational programmes, and events all year round. Its planetarium is one of the biggest and the most advanced in Europe, where you can immerse yourself in stunning visual storytelling on planets, stars, and natural phenomena, such as the northern lights. Heureka also hosts events such as rat basketball and science theatre, so the chances are you will leave this museum with some exceptional memories!

Finland’s largest art museum EMMA is the city of Espoo’s iconic landmark. The building itself is a classic sample of 1960s concrete brutalism located in the woodlands of the Tapiola district. EMMA’s vast collection includes works from Finnish and other Nordic artists, showcasing design and experimental pieces alongside modern and contemporary art.

The building is home also to Futuro house and the KAMU – Espoo City Museum, which you also get to visit with the same museum ticket. EMMA is a fun place for families, too, as the exhibitions include pit stops where you can get creative and experiment together with your kids.

The Finnish Nature Centre Haltia is the first and the biggest public massive wood building in Finland. Haltia’s architecture together with its picturesque location on the shore of lake Pitkäjärvi are already reasons for a visit, yet the exhibitions will take you on a fascinating journey to the spectacular scenery of Finnish national parks, hiking trails, and nature destinations in Helsinki region.

If you want to immerse yourself in tangible nature, continue your day to the Nuuksio National Park. A connecting trail from Haltia leads to the main gate of the nature reserve.

Please note that the National Museum is closed for renovation and is expected to re-open again in 2027.

If you are keen to understand Finnish history, folk culture, and the culture of Finno-Ugric people, head toward the National Museum of Finland in the centre of Helsinki. This National Romantic style building contains the oldest and most comprehensive cultural history collections in the nation. Approximately half a million artifacts present Finnish history from the Stone Age to the present day. Alongside the permanent exhibitions and the guided tours, The National Museum hosts temporary programmes, so it’s worthwhile to check what’s on beforehand.

Hot tip! The museum’s entrance hall’s ceilings are decorated with Finnish national epic Kalevala-themed frescoes painted by artist Akseli Gallen-Kallela himself. You can visit the entrance hall without a fee.