The National Museum of Finland

The National Museum of Finland presents Finnish life from prehistoric times to the present. The National Museum building was designed by the Finnish architects Herman Gesellius, Armas Lindgren and Eliel Saarinen, and was opened to the public in 1916.

There are three permanent exhibitions in the National Museum of Finland.

The Story of Finland takes a bold new look at the wounds left by wars and the struggle for independence. But it also brims with joy for the 100-year-old Finland, which has managed to grow into a country of democracy, equality and wellbeing.

The Prehistory Exhibition examines who the Finns are and where they came from. The area now comprising Finland was first settled 10,000 years ago. What kind of a world did these people live in? The National Museum of Finland’s updated prehistory exhibition takes you back in time to experience living prehistory, building connections that extend all the way to modern times. Learn and be amazed at how much we have in common with prehistoric people.

The Realm exhibition details Finland’s history under church rule, Swedish secular rule, the country’s annexation by the Russian Empire. The exhibition is divided into sections focusing on the Catholic Church, the Lutheran Church, rulers and the four estates.