Art Museums and exhibitions in Finland 2026
This article introduces fascinating art museums located around Finland highlighting their exhibitions in 2026.
Kunsthalle Helsinki
Located in the heart of Helsinki, Kunsthalle Helsinki (Taidehalli) has been a cornerstone of Finnish and international art since 1928. Housed in one of the city’s most elegant exhibition spaces, this historic venue brings bold contemporary art into dialogue with architecture, design, and society, offering visitors a refined yet approachable cultural experience. For anyone exploring Finland’s art museums, Kunsthalle Helsinki stands out as a place where long-standing traditions meet confident contemporary thinking. The museum is worth a visit even for its distinctive architecture alone. The building is one of Finland’s finest examples of 1920s neo-classicism.
Kunsthalle Helsinki is best known for its ambitious programme of temporary exhibitions, presenting both cutting-edge contemporary artists and influential modern classics from Finland and around the world. While contemporary art forms the core of its exhibition programme, the Kunsthalle also regularly showcases design and architecture, reflecting Finland’s strong visual culture and interdisciplinary traditions. Each year, the gallery produces approximately five to seven carefully curated exhibitions, ensuring a dynamic and ever-changing visit experience.
Kunsthalle Helsinki‘s mission is to invite people to explore art as a lens through which life, society, and the world can be experienced in new ways. By giving space to new voices, emerging phenomena, and unexpected perspectives, the Kunsthalle encourages visitors to form a personal and meaningful relationship with art, one that may surprise, challenge, or delight.
Miettinen Collection: I Will Look Into the Earth – 1 November 2025 – 11 January 2026
From Finnish classics to leading figures in international contemporary art, I Will Look Into the Earth presents highlights from the private Miettinen Collection. Featuring over 100 works by more than 50 artists, the exhibition explores the collection’s central themes of landscape, nature, and intimacy, weaving together historical paintings and contemporary artworks. The exhibition offers insight into a collection built with bold intuition and wide-ranging curiosity.
Antti Oikarinen: Introspective 23.1. – 8.3.2026
As part of the Finnish Art Society’s 180th anniversary, Antti Oikarinen explores artistic practice and the emergence of an artwork from a deeply personal perspective, positioning himself alongside his own process of making art. The exhibition theme the artwork authorship and the self opens a reflection on the relationship between reason and intuition, the formation of meaning, and the experience of understanding. Moving at the intersection of sculpture and painting, the exhibition is introspective, layered, and rich in insight, with works that are not always what they first appear and that invite the viewer to pause and look more closely. The exhibition consists mainly of new works, complemented by three earlier pieces that connect naturally with its themes.
Ateneum
The Ateneum is an internationally known and respected art museum whose exhibitions attract hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. Ateneum is a beloved meeting place for art, people and experiences. In July and August this year, the museum will also be open on Mondays. Tickets can be purchased online in advance in the website ticket shop, saving 2€ per ticket.
The highly popular exhibitions of the Ateneum showcase both international and Finnish artists. Paired with the museum’s topical research activities, the exhibitions provide new information and perspectives to the visitors. Museum´s collection exhibition The Question of Time participates in the current debate of the 21st century. Exhibition ponders how the country’s oldest and largest art collection can now and in the future feel both personal and common – to all of us.
Besides exhibitions, the Ateneum organises a wide range of events, talks, workshops and discussions on current topics. Thanks to its rich educational programme, the museum attracts thousands of children and young people every year.
At Café Höijer, on the third floor of the Ateneum, visitors can crown their museum visit in a beautiful setting. The café is located in the middle of the exhibition spaces, so it is only open to customers who have purchased a museum ticket. Café Höijer offers classic café products served to table. In addition to small savoury and sweet items, the café offers a diverse selection of wines and coffees.
Ateneum is a part of the Finnish National Gallery which is the national museum of fine arts. It operates three of Finland’s best-known museums: the Ateneum Art Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma and the Sinebrychoff Art Museum. It also manages the national art collection and its archives, develops Finnish cultural heritage and promotes art to the wider public.
Collection: A Question of Time – Permanent exhibition
Our collection exhibition A Question of Time reflects on the major questions of our time through art. The exhibition also offers fresh perspectives into Finland’s oldest and most extensive art collection and how it was built.
Gallen-Kallela, Klimt & Wien – 26.9.2025 – 1.2.2026
Akseli Gallen-Kallela and the Secessionists met in early 20th-century Vienna. The exhibition, which brings together modern art, fashion and design, explores the pulse of Vienna and brings the paintings of the artist Gustav Klimt to Finland for the first time.
Aboa Vetus Ars Nova – Museum of Archaeology and Contemporary Art
Aboa Vetus Ars Nova, located in the heart of Turku, Finland, is a unique museum that combines archaeology and contemporary art. Situated along the picturesque Aura River, the museum is housed in the historic Rettig Palace, a stunning example of baroque classicism that enhances its cultural and historical significance.
The Aboa Vetus section, Finland’s only archaeological museum, unveils the story of old Turku. Visitors can explore a fascinating underground town quarter, offering a glimpse into centuries of life in the city. Through ongoing excavations on the museum grounds, the collection of archaeological finds continues to grow, shedding new light on Finland’s past. The Bony Tales exhibition showcases these finds – from full skeletons to individual bones. Learn how bones help archaeologists understand ancient life, and try identifying real bones yourself!
The Ars Nova section features high-quality contemporary art exhibitions, showcasing current artists and phenomena. The museum also maintains the The Aboa Vetus Ars Nova Foundation Art Collection, which includes a diverse range of works from Finnish and Western art history. The oldest pieces in the collection date back to the late 19th century, while the main focus is on art from the 1950s to the present. The collection expands through new acquisitions and donations, ensuring a dynamic and evolving representation of modern and contemporary art.
Whether exploring the history of ancient Turku or discovering contemporary art, Aboa Vetus Ars Nova provides a unique cultural experience in a beautiful riverside location.
Matti Rag Paananen – ARS NOVA – 10.10.2025—22.3.2026
The Great Art persistently inspired Paananen, driving him to create in a multidisciplinary and open-minded manner. He was a composer, arranger, pianist, poet and painter. This exhibition is Paananen’s museum debut.
Umppa Niinivaara: Cave – ARS NOVA – 10.10.2025—22.3.2026
Umppa Niinivaara’s solo exhibition, Cave, invites viewers to dive beneath the surface and explore the multi-sensory, unique dimensions of sculpture. Behind the material-driven aesthetics lies a profound experience of nature.
Turku Art Museum
Located right in the heart of Turku, in scenic Puolalanpuisto park, the Turku Art Museum has played a significant role in Finnish art life since 1904. The granite building of Turku Art Museum, designed by professor Gustaf Nyström, is a fine example of the national romantic style and has been chosen as the most beautiful building in Turku and a popular attraction on its own.
Turku Art Museum’s versatile exhibition program introduces visitors to the fascinating world of art, from iconic pieces to the very latest contemporary artworks. Alongside its rich exhibition programme, the museum also stages events presented in a beautiful setting that invites interaction and relaxation. You can stop by the atmospheric Café Victor for a coffee, and in the summer one of the city’s most stunning terraces offers a view over the city.
The museum’s collection focuses on Finnish and Nordic visual art. The collection is especially known for the golden age of Finnish art, Finnish surrealism and pop art, as well as self-portraits. Today, the museum’s collection includes almost 7,600 works, and part of the collection is constantly on display in the museum’s changing collection exhibitions.
Nelli Palomäki – Holds – 3 October 2025 – 18 January 2026
Photographic artist Nelli Palomäki is known both in Finland and internationally for her magically timeless and moving portraits. At the core of her work are the relationships we have to those similar to us, themes of family or family-like community, and the human need to build and offer physical, psychological and spiritual shelter.
Saara Ekström – Hypnos – 28 November 2025 – 18 January 2026
In Saara Ekström’s film Hypnos (2024) the Japanese Noh theatre masks become portals to spiritual, ritual and psychological realms embodied by a dense forest.
Inka Bell – 28 November 2025 – 18 January 2026
Inka Bell’s practice unfolds as a series of finely tuned moments of transition and transformation, where movement arises through subtle shifts in material and process. Her works invite the viewer into a state of close observation—attentive to the changes that occur within the pieces and to their dialogue with the surrounding space.
What (a) Colour – from 26.11.2024
Colour is one of art’s key means of expression, operating within a register of perception, physical experience and cultural conventions. It has proven impossible to define it exhaustively, but the power of colour always tempts us to rethink. The exhibition features works from the collection of the Turku Art Museum and explores how to interpret the meaning of colour in visual art in the light of recent art research. The gaze wanders across the spectrum of the Golden Age of Finnish art, modernism and contemporary art.
WeeGee Exhibition Centre
The WeeGee exhibition centre in Tapiola, Espoo, is a versatile hub for museums, exhibitions, and events. WeeGee house is home to EMMA (the Espoo Museum of Modern Art), KAMU (Espoo City Museum), and the Mauri Kunnas Exhibition, as well as Delicatessen WeeGee, and the museum store EMMA Shop. WeeGee operates in the former Weilin&Göös printing house designed by Professor Aarno Ruusuvuori (1925–1992). In WeeGee’s yard the Futuro house, a plastic house designed by architect Matti Suuronen, is open to public from mid-May to mid-September.
EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art is one of the most important art museums in Finland. The largest in Finland in terms of surface area, EMMA’s spacious premises and minimalist modern architecture provides an inspirational backdrop for presenting modern and contemporary art and design. In addition to changing exhibitions, part of the collections of Collection Kakkonen, Saastamoinen Foundation, and the Tapio Wirkkala Rut Bryk Foundation are on permanent display at EMMA.
KAMU – Espoo City Museum is a cultural history museum. It features an exhibition about the history of Espoo, KAMU’s current exhibition “Feel the Noise – Rock and Youth Culture in Espoo” showcases youth culture from the 1970s to the present day. In the exhibition Feel the Noise you will find music, the spirit of youthful doing and togetherness. You can dance disco, play pinball, and experience glimpses of the 1970s and 80s as well as today.
Exhibitions at EMMA 2025:
Antti Laitinen: Chiming Forest – 24.09.2025 – 23.08.2026
Antti Laitinen (b. 1975) is an artist based in Somero, Finland, who makes art from materials drawn from his immediate surroundings. In recent years, he has focused on transforming, dismantling and reassembling trees and forest landscapes in his work.
Karin Hellman – 09.04.2025 – 01.02.2026
Karin Hellman (1915–2004) was an innovative and unconventional pioneer of Finnish modernism, yet her work remains unfamiliar to many. In Hellman’s hands, materials found new and vibrant life: she combined natural materials, recycled textiles, and industrially produced everyday objects in her creations. She was one of the few Finnish artists to work predominantly with collage as her medium.
Arte Povera – A New Chapter – 09.04.2025 – 01.02.2026
Arte Povera – A New Chapter explores how especially women artists have worked in the spirit of the Arte Povera movement from the 1960s to the present. The term Arte Povera, literally meaning “poor art”, refers to a movement that emerged in Italy in the late 1960s, when artists began creating works from discarded and modest everyday materials. Their aim was to challenge the art market of the time and bring artistic practice closer to daily life. Instead of high-quality materials and polished aesthetics, the artworks often emphasise the processes of making, intentional unfinishedness, and immediacy.
12.02.2025 – 14.03.2027 – Draped – Art of Printed Fabrics
Draped – Art of Printed Fabrics exhibition will wrap EMMA’s exhibition galleries in vibrant colours and fascinating patterns of printed fabrics. The exhibition highlights printed fabrics by exceptional artists since the 1930s, and views them through the lens of art.
Serlachius: A Unique Blend of Art, History, and Nature
Serlachius offers an array of exciting experiences, just an hour’s drive from Tampere! Located in Mänttä, the Serlachius museums provide a unique blend of art, history, architecture, and exceptional culinary and sauna experiences amidst Finland’s stunning lake district. Just 3 km apart, the two museums form a cultural haven: one set in serene parklands by the lakeshore, home to the acclaimed Serlachius Art Sauna, and the other in the heart of Art Town Mänttä, combining award-winning contemporary architecture with historic charm.
Serlachius is a vibrant meeting place for those who appreciate high-quality art and storytelling. The museums host a variety of exhibitions, showcasing contemporary art, masterpieces from Finland’s Golden Age, and historic European works. In the summer, visitors can wander through a sculpture park and explore an art-filled island.
Enhance your visit with soft activities like Nordic walking, berry picking, or cycling. Relax with a forest stroll or a guided tour to learn about Finnish nature and culture. The museums also allow visitors to borrow bicycles, Nordic walking poles, and, during the summer season, rowing boats too! Other conveniences include two museum shops where you can pick up a unique gift or souvenir.
For a unique wellness experience, the Art Sauna offers public sauna days every Tuesday, immersing visitors in art, design, and stunning architecture. Food enthusiasts can indulge at Restaurant Gösta, known for its pure flavors and ranked among the best museum restaurants in Europe.
For easy access, the museums offer Train & Taxi packages tailored for visitors using public transportation. On Tuesdays (€37), enjoy a seamless journey that combines art, history, and relaxation at the Art Sauna. On Saturdays (€31), experience a cultural adventure with transfers between the two museums. Both packages include shared taxi transfers to and from Vilppula railway station and entrance to all exhibitions. Please note, train tickets are not included.
Classic Works of Fine Art
On display are classic works from the Golden Age of Finnish art and early Finnish modernism from Gösta Serlachius Fine Arts Foundations collections. The old manor home also presents old European master paintings from Holland, Italy and Spain.
Stiina Saaristo – Always Happy – 22.11.2025 – 12.04.2026
The retrospective presents the artist’s witty and sharply observant works from 1995–2025. Stiina Saaristo is known for her large and skilfully detailed drawings, which are characterised by macabre humour and grotesque use of self-portraiture.
Viljami Heinonen – Somewhere in Between – 13.09.2025 – 30.08.2026
Viljami Heinonen is known for his expressive painting, which makes you feel almost breathless when you look at it. In his new paintings, he is inspired by desolating landscapes and abandoned places. As is typical of the artist, nature is also strongly present in the works.
Milja Viita – People on Sunday – 13.09.2025 – 03.05.2026
Milja Viita’s new film installation is inspired by the German classic film Menschen am Sonntag (1930), which portrayed the leisure time of young adults in Berlin between the world wars. The film is now remembered particularly as the “last summer” before the rise of Nazism and the devastation of the Second World War.
Agnes Meyer-Brandis – As Trees Go By 12.04.2025 —19.04.2026
In her exhibition, German artist invites the audience into a multi-sensory interaction with trees.
Patrons – The story behind the Serlachius Art Collection, Serlachius Headquarters
Behind the Serlachius art collection is a fascinating story that intertwines art, history, architecture, forest and Finnishness.
The Sinebrychoff Art Museum: A Showcase of European Masterpieces
The Sinebrychoff Art Museum presents the National Gallery’s distinguished collection of European masterpieces, spanning the 14th to the 19th century. From exquisite Swedish portraiture to breathtaking Dutch, Flemish, Italian, and French masterpieces, the museum brings centuries of artistic brilliance to life. Highlights include Finland’s only Rembrandt painting, The Reading Monk, and the country’s largest collection of miniatures.
At the heart of the museum is the Paul and Fanny Sinebrychoff Home Museum, which is on permanent display on the second floor of the building. Their elegant home, meticulously preserved, provides a rare glimpse into aristocratic life—plus, entry is completely free.
Spain Beyond the Myths (11.9.2025–11.1.2026)
Spain has fascinated European tourists since the 18th century. Often associated with flamenco and mystery, this exhibition presents depictions of mythical Spain and 19th- and 20th-century paintings that look toward a new era.
Located on Bulevardi, between Hietalahdentori Square and Sinebrychoff Park, the museum is just 1.4 km from Helsinki Central Station—a must-visit for art lovers in the heart of the city.
