The National Museum of Finland

The National Museum of Finland

As one of the national museums, the National Museum of Finland (National Museum of Finland) is located in the heart of Helsinki, the capital of Finland, and is a major museum frequently visited by both Helsinki citizens and foreign tourists.

The National Museum of Finland was constructed between 1905 and 1910 by three architects: Eliel Saarinen, Armas Lindgren, and Herman Gesellius. It was designed on the site of a former medieval church and castle, featuring National Romantic style architecture, with its interior design mainly completed in an Art Nouveau studio. It opened to the public in 1916 and officially became the national museum after Finland gained independence in 1917.

This solemn gray building is one of the representative works of new Finnish architecture and is commonly known as “the High Tower.” Its main tower is modeled after the style of Turku Cathedral. The museum has four floors and houses a rich collection across approximately 3,200 square meters of exhibition space, showcasing Finland’s development from prehistoric times to the present day. The collection includes archaeological, historical, numismatic, and ethnographic finds discovered in Finland over the past 170 years, with particularly detailed displays of Finnish social and cultural development from the Middle Ages to the present.

The decorations and collections of the National Museum of Finland also reflect the characteristics of Finnish art. The mural on the ceiling of the main hall was painted by the famous Finnish artist Akseli Gallén-Kallela, based on the Finnish national epic "Kalevala" (The Land of Heroes). This painting was originally created for the Paris World's Fair in the early 20th century. Perhaps the most impressive is the sculpture of a brown bear at the museum entrance, created by the renowned Finnish sculptor Emil Wikström. Though carved from hard material, it vividly captures the playfulness and charm of the bear.

National Museum of Finland

Reason to visit: Finland’s most important museum

Continent where the attraction is located: Europe【Europe】

Country/region where the attraction is located: Finland[Finland]

Province/state where the attraction is located: Uusimaa Region [Uusimaa Region]

City where the attraction is located: Helsinki [Helsinki]