Other sights in Helsinki
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Uspenski Cathedral
The eye-catching red-brick Uspenski Cathedral is equally imposing on nearby Katajanokka Island. The two opposing cathedrals face each other off high above the city in a contest for its soul. Built as a Russian Orthodox church in Byzantine-Slavonic style in 1868, it features classic onion-topped domes and now serves the Finnish Orthodox congregation. The high, square interior has a lavish iconostasis with the Evangelist flanking panels depicting the Last Supper and the Ascension. Orthodox services held at 6pm on Saturday and 10am Sunday are well worth attending as a discreet visitor for the fabulous chorals and candlelit atmosphere.
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Espoo Museum of Modern Art
The city’s top sight is Espoo Museum of Modern Art, which holds over 2000 works, ranging from the early 20th century to the present. It’s definitely Finland’s most significant private art collection and worth the trip from Helsinki. Sharing the same address and opening hours, and visitable with the same ticket, Espoo City Museum and Finnish Toy Museum Leikkilinna can round out a day trip. You can catch buses 106, 106T, 110, 110T or 110 TA from the Kamppi.
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Natural History Museum
Recently renovated, the Natural History Museum is known for its controversial weather vane of a sperm impregnating an ova. New exhibitions like Story of the Bones, which puts skeletons in an evolutionary context, bring new life to the University of Helsinki’s extensive collection of mammals, birds and other creatures, including all Finnish species. The dinosaur skeletons and the saggy African elephant in the foyer are hits with kids.
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Syväranta Lotta Museum
Syväranta Lotta Museum commemorates the Lotta Svärd women’s voluntary defence force. Named for a character in a JL Runeberg poem, these unarmed women took on military service during WWII to become one of the world’s largest auxiliaries. Look out for the blue-and-white swastika and rose medals, which many Lottas wore among the military paraphernalia.
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City Winter Gardens
A good cure for seasonal blues can be the City Winter Gardens, which are elaborate greenhouses, founded in 1893, and containing cacti, palms, and other sun-loving plants foreign to Finnish soil. They are surrounded by botanical gardens, including a spectacular display of roses. Take tram 8 from Ruoholahti metro or Töölö.
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Sinebrychoff Museum of Foreign Art
The largest collection of classic European paintings in Finland is in the former brewery called Sinebrychoff Museum of Foreign Art. The main collection is Italian, Flemish and Swedish in origin. The Empire room is an impressive re-creation that drips with chandeliers and opulence.
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Helsinki Zoo
Spacious Helsinki Zoo is located on Korkeasaari, best reached by ferry from Kauppatori. Established in 1889, it has animals and birds from Finland and around the world housed in large natural enclosures, as well as a tropical house, a small farm and a good cafe and terrace.
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Vanha Kirkko
Helsinki’s oldest church is the white wood Vanha Kirkko, designed by CL Engel. Opposite the church is a memorial to Elias Lönnrot, compiler of the Kalevala epic, depicting the author flanked by his most famous character, ‘steady old Väinämöinen’.
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Design Museum
This museum has a permanent collection that looks at the uniqueness of Finnish design, particularly the recent Fennofolk movement. Changing exhibitions focus on contemporary design – everything from clothing to household furniture.
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Helsinki City Museum
The must-see of the Kaupunginmuseo is Helsinki City Museum, which has historical exhibitions of photographs, rare books and films that piece together the city’s transition from Russian to Swedish hands and into independence.
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Amos Anderson Art Museum
The Amos Anderson Art Museum houses the collection of publishing magnate Amos Anderson, one of the wealthiest Finns of his time. It includes Finnish and European paintings and sculptures from the 15th century to the present.
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Post Museum
The Post Museum was closed for renovations at the time of research but the collection offers a fascinating insight into stamps, computerised data banks and the role postcards have played in Finland’s history.
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Cygnaeus Gallery
Finnish art from the 19th century is showcased at Cygnaeus gallery. It opened in 1882 and is one of Finland’s oldest art galleries in an attractive wooden building (built in 1870) in Kaivopuisto Park.
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Kaisaniemi Botanical Gardens
Closer to the centre, the Kaisaniemi Botanical Gardens is run by the university and comprises Finland’s largest botanical collection, with classic 19th-century greenhouses, a cafe and a park.
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Kaupunginmuseo
A group of small museums scattered around the city centre constitute the Kaupunginmuseo, which all have free entry. All buildings focus on an aspect of the city’s past or present.
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Tuomarinkylä Museum & Children’s Museum
Not far from the airport, these museums occupy an 18th-century manor house perceiving the city through the eyes of a modern family. From central Helsinki take bus 64 to its terminus and walk 1km.
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Runeberg House
National poet Johan Ludvig Runeberg’s former home has become a museum, with a period interior including stuffed foxes and muskets portraying the poet’s love of hunting.
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Heureka
This fantastic hands-on science centre, Imax theatre and planetarium is next to the Tikkurila train station in Vantaa, a satellite suburb of Helsinki.
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Sea Life
Sea Life is an awesome aquarium complex with walk-through tunnels that let you spot sharks, rays and a myriad of fish up close.
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Finnish Museum of Photography
The Finnish Museum of Photography has interesting studies of both photojournalism and artistic practice.
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St John’s Church
Helsinki’s largest church is the soaring twin-spired neo-Gothic St John’s Church, off Korkeavuorenkatu.
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Tuusulan Rantatie
Tuusulan Rantatie is a narrow road along Tuusulanjärvi (Tuusula Lake), about a 30-minute drive north of Helsinki.
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Tram Museum
This delightful museum displays vintage trams and depicts daily life in Helsinki’s streets in past decades.
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Teatterimuseo
Teatterimuseo is a campy look behind Finland’s dramatic scene including costumes and sets.
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Sederholm House
Helsinki’s oldest brick building dating from 1757 is furnished to suit a wealthy 18th-century merchant.
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