As the chillier days of October are settling in and we start to feel that whenever we go out, we would prefer spending our time indoors, why not make a visit to some of Helsinki’s museums or galleries? Whether you go alone or with a friend, either way makes a nice time to just stop and stare at artwork that have all began as mere ideas and then have been molded and painted or printed into something concrete – something, that can excite, bewilder, annoy, or even disgust the viewer. Fun, huh? So here is a list of four museums and galleries in the good old Helsinki city center that are worth the visit for merely passing the time.
Ateneum
Part of the Finnish National Gallery, the magnificent Ateneum is one of the largest homes of Finnish art, most notably with artworks by Akseli Gallen-Kallela on display who depicted some of the most significant scenes from Kalevala, the Finnish national epic. Not only is the museum displaying Finnish art but also works by international artists who are part of telling the history of art and its development from the 19th century to the 21st. Some of these include Paul Cézanne, Marc Chagall, Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh, and Edvard Munch. The building itself is worth the visit for its wonderful interior.
Amos Rex
Amos Rex is located at The Lasipalatsi (meaning “glass palace” in Finnish) and has become known for its exquisitely vast and modern exhibition spaces which not only display works of art and history but also sounds to bring the spaces alive. Not only is the museum a fascinating space for art, but also the Square that is in front of its entrance: this playful, urban space has white domes built into it that form a rippling landscape at which you often see people sitting or walking around, exploring the ground and having fun doing it. Check out their current exhibition.
Helsinki Art Museum (HAM)
Located in Tennis Palace, HAM focuses on and displays exhibitions of modern and contemporary art. The museum is popular for its dedication to both domestic and international art, creating intriguing exhibits that immerse the viewer to see not only Finnish creativity but also juxtaposing this, as it were, to international imagination. The museum is also known for its permanent pieces, Tove Jansson’s lovely and lively frescoes, Party in the City (1947) and Party in the Country (1947). Check out their current exhibitions.
K1, Kämp Galleria
Connected to The Finnish Museum of Photography, K1 is a newer, smaller space in the city center that is dedicated to exhibiting the works of photographers that were themselves influential or pictured significant people – the first exhibit, for example, was dedicated to Douglas Kirkland who photographed Marilyn Monroe, and the last one displayed the photos of Stanley Kubrick. The gallery also displays contemporary photography as well as collections of experimental work with which the artists show the potential of a photograph as an artwork. Even though a small gallery, K1 has become a lovely little space in the very center that compels one to spend an afternoon there, looking at works that were born out of a camera – the very device each of us also uses, even if we will not have our pictures collected and displayed. Check out their current exhibitions.