Top 5 museums in Helsinki
Helsinki features an extensive selection of distinguished museums, each providing valuable insights into the Finlands cultural heritage and historical development. If you’re pressed for time, it’s wise to choose your top picks together. Here’s a curated selection of five must-see museums—four situated right in the heart of Helsinki, with the fifth, the Cable Factory, just a short and convenient metro journey away. For those arriving by sea, Helsinki’s West Terminal is also within easy reach of the Cable Factory
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1 Ateneum, 2 Amos Rex, 3 Helsinki Art Museum HAM, 4 Kiasma,
5 Cable Museums |
Located in the city centre, the Ateneum Art Museum houses the Finnish National Gallery’s renowned collection of classic Finnish art. The museum itself, an impressive building designed by Theodor Höijer in 1887, stands as a symbol of Finland’s national identity. Its permanent exhibition, "A Question of Time", is arranged around four themes: Nature, Finnish Identity, The City, and The Users of Power in Art—highlighting the significance of collection-building and notable donations.
Visitors can admire works by revered Finnish artists such as Albert Edelfelt, Akseli Gallen-Kallela, Helene Schjerfbeck, and Tove Jansson, as well as the only Vincent van Gogh painting in a Finnish public collection.
Currently, the museum is hosting a major exhibition of Eero Nelimarkka (from 13.3. to 13.9.2026)
More about the Ateneum and its Permanent exhibition
Ateneums website
Amos Rex, inaugurated in August 2018, continues the legacy
of the original Amos Anderson Art Museum. Set within the historic Lasipalatsi
(Glass Palace), the museum’s striking architecture—designed by JKMM
Architects—features underground galleries illuminated by large, dome-shaped
skylights that create a distinctive urban landscape above. The renovation of
the 1936 Lasipalatsi building also restored the Bio Rex cinema, now serving as
the museum’s auditorium.
Currently, Amos Rex presents the interactive exhibition by
Leandro Erlich (to 6.4.2026), where illusion and perception are playfully challenged, making
it a favourite for visitors of all ages. Architectural installations such as
"The Cloud" and "Bâtiment" invite active participation,
emphasising Erlich’s belief that art is only complete through viewer
engagement.
You can read more about Leandro Erlich from here
Amos Rex website
3 Helsinki Art Museum (HAM)
HAM is housed in the Tennispalatsi (Tennis Palace), a
notable example of Finnish Functionalism, originally built in 1937 and designed
by Helge Lundström. Once a sports venue and service building for the Olympics,
Tennispalatsi was transformed into a cultural centre in the late 1990s. Today,
HAM showcases contemporary and modern art in spacious, renovated galleries.
A highlight this season is the Ars Fennica 2025 exhibition,
featuring four nominated artists: Ragna Bley, Roland Persson, Jani Ruscica, and
Hanna Vihriälä. Their works explore themes from nature’s invisible forces to
everyday experiences and material contrasts, with Vihriälä’s candy installation
proving especially popular. The exhibition runs from 24/10/2025 to 29/03/2026,
complete with video introductions and interactive elements for visitors.
You can read more about Ars Fennica from here
HAM website
4 Kiasma
Kiasma, a landmark of contemporary art in Finland, opened in
1998 and was designed by Steven Holl. Its name refers to the intersection of
optic nerves, and this concept is reflected in the dynamic architecture.
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Merenmies, Elina. A Snake Full of Sighs (2023–2024), tempera
and oil on canvas. Finnish National Gallery Collection, Kiasma | Acquisition
2025 |
You can read more about Collection exhibition from here
Kiasma website
5 Cable Factory Museums
Situated a little outside the centre, the Cable Factory
(Kaapelitehdas) is Finland’s largest cultural complex, transformed from an
industrial site into a thriving hub for the arts in the 1990s. The sprawling
building hosts over 300 tenants and three notable museums: the Finnish Museum
of Photography, the Theatre Museum, and the Hotel and Restaurant Museum.
Hotel and Restaurant Museum
Its permanent exhibition, "Taste Matters",
explores Finnish food and drink culture through sight, sound, and scent.
Highlights include the history of alcohol regulation, iconic food traditions,
and recipes for visitors to try at home. The museum offers a rich sensory
experience and serves as a fascinating substitute for the National Museum
during its closure.
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| The picture shows the preparation of pies in 1929. Tyyni Vahter, Ethnographic photo collection, Museovirasto |
You can read more about Taste Matters from here
Turbulent Decades – Photos of Restaurant Life in the 60s and 70s' is on display at the museum from September 19, 2025 – August 30, 2026
Finnish Museum of Photography
Europe’s first museum dedicated to photographic art, this
institution presents "The Viewfinder"—an engaging, non-chronological
exploration of Finnish photography. The museum covers key historical moments,
including the introduction of photography and its role in documenting change,
memory, and identity. The current exhibition, "The Invisible Race",
confronts themes of racial discrimination and institutional critique, using
powerful images and video installations. Open until 01/03/2026.
Viewfinder (in Finnish)
The Invisible Race (in Finnish)
Theatre Museum
With its interactive exhibition "The Third Call",
the Theatre Museum invites visitors to experience every stage of performance
creation, even stepping onto the Arkadia Theatre stage themselves. The
exhibition features costumes, set designs, and technical equipment, and is best
enjoyed with a guide. Another highlight is "Amaze! Tales and Magic of
Circus", which celebrates Finnish circus history and artistry, on display
from 10/10/2025 to 10/01/2027.
The Third Call (in Finnish)
Cable Museums website
For more information on the Cable Factory visit their official website.
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| Cable Factory 1978. Sky-foto. Helsinki City Museum, Finna |
Photograps by the author unless otherwise noted
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