Helsinki’s new central library Oodi opened on December 5, the eve of Finland’s 101st Independence Day, a fitting celebration for one of the most literate nations in the world. Located at Kansalaistori Square in the heart of the city, Oodi is a transformative and multi-functional space, defying any notion of the library as a dated public institution. Viewed from […]

The Lapinlahti former psychiatric hospital stands poised on the edge of Lapinlahti Bay, a naturally beautiful site noted for its richness in biodiversity.  Much like the rare butterfly (Depressaria Chaerophylli) that can be found in the area, its future is uncertain, but its history certainly deserves preservation. The Lapinlahti estate is comprised of several structures, […]

The joy of spring is eternal. There is something undeniably stirring about the renewal of nature around us. Spring in Finland is a joyful time, and with the spring comes the arrival of Eastertide and its many traditions. Easter is the most important feast day for Orthodox Christians. It is also marked with reverence by […]

Here are 10 must-see museums for you to visit in Helsinki that offer a wide variety of collections for every taste: AMOS REX The re-invented Amos Rex museum is a meeting place for art and urban culture, located in the centre of Helsinki. Mannerheimintie 22-24, 00100 Helsinki Tel. +358 (0)9 684 4460 E-mail: museum@amosrex.fi Open: Mon 11 […]

Profane art (or secular art) had its hesitant origin in Finland in the 18th century Isak Wacklin’s rococo portraits and in Nils Schillmark’s paintings, which employed the Neoclassical idiom. Elias Martin’s landscape paintings documenting the fortification of Viapori represent a unique curiosity from the same period. At the turn of the nineteenth century, Finnish artists absorbed influences from the […]

The influence of plein-air painting The adoption of the plein-air method drove Finnish artists out into the midst of the peasantry and into the natural landscape. Artists, who usually had an upper-class background, began to make excursions into the “original Finland” that was supposed to lie in the forest wilderness of Karelia. Romanticism Landscape painting […]

Helsinki has a diverse range of museums, galleries and private art collections and here we present 35 for you to choose from. Pick your favourite for a day out, or even just for an afternoon excursion. Or work your way through our list and decide afterwards which one is your favourite! Either way, you will […]

Every year there are many music festivals taking place in Finland, and several interesting festivals happen right here in urban Helsinki. Flow Festival Flow Festival, the hippest festival in Finland, takes place from the 9th to the 11th of August, 2019 in the historic power plant area of Suvilahti in central Helsinki. The past few […]

The past few years have seen the rise of Finnish illustrators in the world of Finnish design. The hottest names now include Sanna Annukka, whose colourful work uses Finnish folkloristic themes. You may have seen her work in products by Marimekko, Mark&Spencer’s and Vogue. The Amsterdam-based Kustaa Saksi has designed illustrations for Jennifer Lopez’s Justsweet fashion brand and Issey […]