Aboa Vetus & Ars Nova Museums

Lonely Planet review

These twin museums are under one roof. Ars Nova is a museum of contemporary art with temporary exhibitions, the highlight of which is the Turku Biennaali, a themed jury-voted display held in summer in odd years. Aboa Vetus is an absolutely fascinating museum of live archaeology.

You descend into the comprehensively-excavated remains of medieval Turku; these are brought to life by lively commentary, plenty of information and activities for kids, and replica items that make sense of the fragments. It's an amazing achievement that deserves the highest praise. There are free guided tours in English in July and August. Outside, on the riverbank, is a memorial to Herman Spöring, a Turku man who sailed with Cook on his discovery of Australia; some islands off New Zealand are named after him.