The Helsinki Exhibition
Aleksanterinkatu 16 • From 13 June 2026 • Always free entry
Welcome to experience something new from. The City Museum's new main exhibition is a journey of insights into the history of Helsinki.
The Helsinki exhibition tells the story of the turning points and phenomena that have made the city what it is today. The story can be explored in many ways and from many perspectives. At the beginning of the exhibition, landmark events from Helsinki’s past pass along a timeline as a living fresco. You will receive a more comprehensive picture of Helsinki’s past by examining how nature and climate have influenced living conditions, the variety of people who have lived here, and what life was like between the spheres of influence and cultures of East and West. With the help of old maps, you can dive deep, all the way to prehistory.
The lift takes you back in time
An ordinary apartment building door leads to a lift that serves as a gateway to the path of insights and experiences throughout the millennia. Eras and seasons change, and Helsinki’s landscapes evolve. You meet all sorts of people from the Stone Age to the present day: sailors and mademoiselles, bourgeoisie and punks, children and drifters. Along this colourful and surprising journey, you sit down at a table in a 17th century house, warm up by a tiled stove, peek through a stereoscope, stop by a convenience store, and take a taxi ride. After the journey, your head might be spinning, but hopefully Helsinki will feel even more familiar and dear to you.
This engaging exhibition, designed for the whole family, has been created by a wide range of professionals from different fields. Architecture and spatial design are by Jonathan Maxwell, lighting design by Kimmo Karjunen, audiovisual production by OIOI Smart Space, photo animation by Dominik Trnečka, scale models by Joanna Juhkam, and graphic design by Samppa Ranta. The City Museum’s exhibition team includes Sauli Seppälä, Jere Jäppinen, John Lagerstedt, Katri Lento, Mikko Soikkeli, and Tommi Uutela.
The opening of the new Helsinki Exhibition is on Saturday 13 June 2026.
Photos: Suvi-Tuuli Kankaanpää / Helsinki City Museum
