Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Kiasma Museum
—Finland's museum of contemporary art, designed by
AmericanarchitectStevenHoll,hoststemporaryexhibitionsanddoesn'thave
a permanent collection. Ask at the TI or check online to find out what's show-
ing.
Cost and Hours:
€10, Tue 10:00-17:00, Wed-Thu 10:00-20:30, Fri
10:00-22:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-17:00, closed Mon, Mannerheiminaukio 2, near
train station, tel. 09/1733-6501,
www.kiasma.fi
.
Natural History Museum
—Recently renovated and run by the University of
Helsinki, this museum has about eight million animal specimens, the largest
collection of its kind in Finland. Displays range from spiders to dinosaurs, all
with English descriptions.
Cost and Hours:
€6, free on Thu 16:00-18:00; open Tue-Fri 9:00-16:00
except Thu until 18:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-16:00, closed Mon, Pohjoinen
Rautatiekatu 13,
www.luomus.fi
.
A weeklong car trip up through the Finnish lakes and forests to Mikkeli and
Savonlinna would be relaxing, but you can actually enjoy Finland's green-
trees-and-blue-water scenery without leaving Helsinki. Here are three great
ways to get out and go for a walk on a sunny summer day. If you have time,
do at least one of them during your stay.
Inspired by Stockholm's Skansen, also on a lovely island on the edge of town,
this is a collection of 100 historic buildings from every corner of Finland. It's
wonderfully furnished and gives rushed visitors an opportunity to sample the
far reaches of Finland without leaving the capital city. If you're not taking a
tour, get the €1.20 map or the helpful €6 guidebook. You're welcome to bring
a picnic, or you can have a light lunch (snacks and cakes) in the Antti farm-
stead at the center of the park. Off-season, when the buildings are closed, the
place is empty and not worth the trouble.
