Helsinki's Cultural Highlights for 2025: A Year of Design, Art, and Celebration

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Celebrating Helsinki Day with a dinner under the sky. Photo: Svante Gullichsen, Helsinki Partners

HELSINKI, Dec. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Next year, Helsinki promises a remarkable cultural program celebrating Finnish design, art, architecture, and storytelling. From the grand reopening of the iconic Finlandia Hall to the magical 80th anniversary of the beloved Moomins, the year will be filled with exhibitions, celebrations, and international events.

The newly renovated Finlandia Hall, a masterpiece of modern architecture, will reopen in January with exciting new offerings, inviting visitors to explore themes of identity and creativity. Meanwhile, the timeless Moomin stories, created by Tove Jansson, continue to welcome everyone into imaginative worlds where joy and acceptance are at the heart of every tale. As summer unfolds, the Helsinki Biennial will bring art and nature into dialogue under the theme "Shelter", transforming the Esplanade park and Vallisaari island into a stage for thought-provoking works. In autumn, Helsinki Design Week —celebrating its 20th anniversary— will highlight creativity and explore happiness as a design principle, envisioning a brighter, more hopeful future. Whether you are a local or a visitor from afar, Helsinki warmly invites you to experience its vibrant cultural scene, where creativity and inspiration are always close at hand.

Renovated Finlandia Hall seen from above. Photo: Tuomas Uusheimo, Helsinki Partners

Step Inside a Classic: Finlandia Hall Returns with New Experiences

Designed by Alvar Aalto and completed in 1971, Finlandia Hall is one of Finland's most renowned modern architectural creations. Following an extensive renovation, the building—formerly known primarily as a venue for congresses and events—will reopen on January 4th with an array of new services, including unique accommodation facilities, a bistro restaurant, and a wine café.

A permanent exhibition will open at Finlandia Hall in June 2025, offering an experiential exploration of both Finnish identity and the life's work and creative inspirations of Alvar, Aino, and Elissa Aalto. The exhibition provides an opportunity to gain deep insights into Alvar Aalto's legacy and design principles. The exhibition also offers visitors a chance to engage in their own creative experiments inspired by Alvar, Aino, and Elissa. Visitors can also admire contemporary Finnish art from the HAM, Helsinki Art Museum collections displayed throughout the building. The newly renovated Finlandia Hall warmly invites both locals and visitors to step inside, explore Aalto's architectural masterpiece, and enjoy local flavors, concerts, and events.

80 years of Moomin: Tove Jansson's Art and Imagination on Display in Helsinki

It all began with the first tale, The Moomins and the Great Flood, published in 1945. Written by Tove Jansson in Helsinki during World War II as a fairytale to comfort herself in dark times, the story follows Moominmamma and Moomintroll as they find a new home in Moominvalley. There, a tall blue house stands—a joyful and welcoming place where everyone is accepted, no matter who they are or when they arrive.

Helsinki celebrates this anniversary year with two major exhibitions. The festivities opened with Tove Jansson – Paradise (25.10.2024–6.4.2025) at HAM Helsinki Art Museum. This exhibition delves into her public paintings, showcasing how Jansson created joy, beauty, and windows into magical worlds through her art. The celebrations will culminate in October 2025 with an exhibition at the Architecture and Design Museum Helsinki. This exhibition will provide a unique perspective on Tove Jansson's world, how she perceived architecture and design in her life and how these elements come to life in the stories of Moominvalley. The door is always open.

Vallisaari Island is one of the main locations of Helsinki Biennial. Photo: Matti Pyykkö / HAM / Helsinki Biennial 

Helsinki Biennial brings art on land and at sea

Helsinki Biennial 2025 is a summer-long celebration of art, hosted with a big heart across three venues: Vallisaari Island, Esplanade Park, and HAM Helsinki Art Museum. Taking place from June 8 to September 21, 2025, the third edition will feature works by around 35 artists, with roughly half of the pieces being site-specific commissions premiering in Helsinki. Curated by Blanca de la Torre and Kati Kivinen, the biennial explores the delicate relationship between humankind and nature under the theme "Shelter". Committed to sustainability and lasting impact, Helsinki Biennial also aims to leave a legacy by permanently showcasing selected artworks around the city. The full program, including the artist lineup, works, and sponsors, will be unveiled in spring 2025.

Helsinki Design Week 2024 opening party. Photo: Justus Hirvi, Helsinki Design Week

Helsinki Design Week: A Celebration of Design and Happiness

Helsinki Design Week 2025 invites international guests to celebrate the diversity of design. The theme for the year, "Celebration", encourages reflection on achievements and envisioning the future with optimism and hope. The main exhibition and symposium, "How to Design Happiness", focuses on the concept of happiness, offering a fresh perspective through the lens of design. Combining international and local elements, the exhibition will highlight the role of design in shaping well-being and will be curated by a prominent figure to be announced in early 2025.

The program features diverse flagship events, including Design Market, Open Studios, and PechaKucha Night, alongside innovative symposium talks and satellite events that showcase various design fields. Helsinki Design Week 2025 will also revisit some of its best moments from previous years, emphasizing Helsinki's role as a global hub for design and architecture.

The five entries selected to the Stage 2. Photo: Finland's New Museum of Architecture and Design

Architecture and Design Museum

A new museum dedicated to architecture and design is set to open in Helsinki in 2030. Designed to be a must-visit destination for architecture and design enthusiasts, the museum will also serve as a hub for learning, sharing, and exploration for all curious minds. The new building, located in Helsinki's historic South Harbour, will be chosen through an open, international, and anonymous two-stage competition, which began on April 15, 2024. The first stage concluded on August 29, 2024, with an impressive 624 submissions. The 5 selected entries advancing to Stage 2 were revealed in 18.12.2024, and the final results will be announced in September 2025. In the meantime, visitors can enjoy inspiring exhibitions at the museum's current premises.

Find out more on MyHelsinki.fi, your local guide to discovering Helsinki's most inspiring sights, events, and novelties — the site will be renewed in early 2025 to serve you even better.

More information and images: 
Vappu Mänty
Director, PR & Communications
[email protected] 

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SOURCE City of Helsinki