National Museum of Finland, Helsinki: description, history and mode of operation

If you look at the promotional brochures that are devoted to the Helsinki museums, there you can find about eighty such organizations. Of course, not all museums of the city can be compared in luxury and scope with historical monuments of St. Petersburg, but they too should pay tribute. Most of the museums are dedicated to a particular era or event and have a modest size, but still here you can meet several large-scale projects, for example, the National Museum of Finland in Helsinki.

Finland, its culture and traditions are fully shown in the expositions of this museum. Its rich funds covered the entire period of the state's development from antiquity to modern times.

The museum is served by Russian-speaking groups, and if tourists are interested in more detailed information, they can buy additional literature in the museum store.

Briefly about the history of the museum

The National Museum of Finland in Helsinki was opened to visit in 1916. The museum building was created under the guidance of architects G. Gesellius, A. Lindgren and E. Saarinen. In those days, all the masters worked in the architectural company Gesellius-Lindgren-Saarinen. The building began to be erected in 1905, and after diligent work lasting for five years, the project was completed. The arches of the foyer of the National Museum are crowned with frescos of the famous artist A. Gallen-Kallela.

Description of the Finnish sights

The building is the largest historical museum located in the capital of the country. Its exposition acquaints tourists with the centuries-old Finnish history.

The museum is in a magnificent building, which in its architecture resembles a Scandinavian medieval castle. The building is decorated with a decorative stone foundation, Romanesque windows, high cone-shaped tower. This building is impossible with anything to confuse.

In fact, the museum is a treasure trove in which cultural artifacts are kept showing the path of the country's development from ancient civilizations to modern times. Expositions on culture, local history, art, ethnography fully illustrate all aspects of the life of the state.

Collected expositions

A huge collection of exhibits in the National Museum of Finland is divided into parts, a total of six, and each is exhibited in a separate hall. There are collections of medals, insignia, coins, as well as national weapons, jewelry, silver. A lot of exhibits were discovered by archaeologists during the excavations on the territory of the country.

The permanent exposition included 5 departments:

• "Last century".
• "Kingdom".
• "Treasure".
• "Land and people."
• "Historical Finland".

The first exposition tells about independence of the state and its originality in the culture of the XX century.

Exhibits from the "Kingdom" department demonstrate the history of Finnish culture from the Middle Ages to the 20th century. National costumes, toys, musical instruments, pieces of furniture are presented here.

The exhibition "Treasury" contains numismatic collections: cold steel, jewelry, coins of different periods, orders, medals. Undoubtedly, this is the most beautiful museum exhibition.

"Land and people" reflects the rural life of the Finns before industrialization.

The historical department is the largest. It is dedicated to archeological values and presents unique artifacts: metal and ceramic products, weapons, household items, national decorations and costumes.

The National Museum of Finland also organizes temporary exhibitions, which are usually devoted to the Finnish cultural heritage. In addition to several exhibitions, visitors are provided with an information center, a souvenir shop and a cafe.

The National Museum is the pride of the country and a very popular place in Helsinki.

The location of the museum

The building is located in the central part of the city in a park known as Matthias Lehto. Address of the National Museum of Finland: Helsinki, Mannerheimintie, 34. From the railway station you can walk on foot, moving to the right to Mannerheim avenue, then again to the right. A quiet walk to the museum can be reached in ten minutes.

If you are planning a trip to the museum from the cathedral, then take the tram number 4 and get off at the Kansallismuseo stop.

When and at what time you can see the exhibits

Opening hours of the National Museum of Finland: Tuesday - Sunday, expositions are available from 11 pm to 6 pm. On Mondays the museum is closed. Entrance fee: an adult ticket costs ten euros, for pensioners - seven euros, for minors admission is free. It is also worth noting that on Fridays from four in the evening for everyone who wants to get acquainted with the history of Finland: the entrance to the museum is free.

Than the museum is interesting for children

The National Museum of Finland will be interesting to visit not only adults but also children. The most exciting part for them is called "Vintty's Workshop". In order to find it, you should go up to the third floor of the museum building. It is here that the cognitive-gaming center works, where small tourists in a playful form get acquainted with the culture and history of the northern country and for a time turn into its inhabitants. Here, the children are given the opportunity to do weaving or carpentry, become a shop assistant in a store, a fisherman or a coachman and even solve real state problems.

It is much more interesting for children to explore and study the various instruments that the Finns used in the old days than to listen to ready-made explanations.

Also in the museum there is a room especially loved by young tourists, which is dedicated to the traditions of celebrating Christmas. Here, small travelers learn that in Finland, gifts are given to children by Joulupukki, and his wife Muori prepares a porridge of rice with almonds and bakes Christmas stars.

After a fascinating excursion to the museum, you can go with the children to a huge park and admire the Teelenlahti Bay, located next to the museum. This place in the capital is considered one of the best for walking with children.

Council before visiting the museum

If you decide to come on an excursion to the National Museum of Finland, we strongly recommend that you take a map of the halls in the ticket office, with their detailed location and a brief description. Then you can not get lost in the building, because its layout is rather confusing.