Open for business since 1950, Helsinki’s only amusement park is Linnanmäki.  More than one million people visit the amusement park each year to enjoy the games, arcades, thrill rides, performances and restaurants of Linnanmäki Amusement Park. The Wooden Roller Coaster, or Vuoristorata, is the park’s most well-known ride. It has been operating since 1951. The oldest ride in the park, the carousel, was built in 1896. It officially became part of Linnanmäki in 1954. Additional [...]

Seurasaari is a small, uninhabited island near Helsinki. Locals and tourists from around the world flock to Seurasaari to enjoy the quiet, peaceful atmosphere. Seurasaari is densely forested and is home to many varieties of wildlife. Hares, birds and red squirrels are just a few of the animals that live on the island. People also travel to Seurasaari to enjoy the nude beach, the midsummer bonfire and the outdoor museum. The Seurasaari Open-Air Museum was [...]

The Helsinki Music Center is located in a well-traveled area, between Kiasma Art Museum and Finlandia Hall. Before construction on the Music Center started in 2008, the land was the home of the VR warehouses. The building was completed in 2011 and is home to a 1,700-seat concert hall and five smaller halls. The halls include dedicated space for chamber music, chamber opera, organs, rehearsal and electrically amplified music. Students of the Helsinki Music Center’s [...]

Helsinki’s Ateneum is home to Finland’s largest collection of classical art. The museum is located opposite the Helsinki Central Railway Station in Rautatientori square. In the past, the building was home to the Finnish Academy of Fine Arts as well as Helsinki’s University of Art and Design. The building housing the museum is a work of art itself. Designed by Theodor Höijer in 1887, the building’s exterior is decorated with statues, reliefs and many symbolic [...]

Next week (24.-29.1.2011) the largest documentary film festival in the Nordic countries, DocPoint, will begin for the 11th time.  It’s the only film festival in Finland dedicated to documentaries. The festival features a wide variety of documentaries from all over the world. A selection of old classics as well as brand new documentary films are presented and there’s even a special selection for documentaries for children. Almost all of the films will have subtitles in [...]

One of the best ways to spend an unforgettable day with the whole family in Helsinki is visiting the zoo. There are 150 distinct animal species and an approximated 1,000 varieties of plant life at the Helsinki Zoo in Korkeasaari. Helsinki’s only zoo is home to animals from six continents: Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, North America and South America. Animals from warmer climates that need protection from Helsinki’s cold weather are housed in the zoo’s [...]

The Finnish Museum of Natural History is run by the University of Helsinki as an independent research institution. The museum is open year-round, with the exception of the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. The building is wheelchair-accessible and admission is free on Thursdays between 4 and 6 p.m. There are four permanent exhibitions in the Finnish Museum of Natural History; Story of the Bones, World Nature, The History of Life and Finnish Nature. Audio tours [...]

Finland’s leading opera company is the Finnish National Opera, in Helsinki. The home base of the Finnish National Opera, Helsinki’s Opera House, opened in 1993. The Opera House rests on the shores of Töölönlahti Bay and is owned by the state-run company, Senate Properties. The Finnish National Opera draws 250,000 visitors each year to its various productions. With nearly 300 operas, ballets and premiers each year, the Finnish National Opera has something to offer everyone. [...]

The World Design Capital title is bestowed upon the cities that best utilize design to improve cultural, economic and social life. The World Design Capital project is the brainchild of the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design, or ICSID. Founded in the late 1950s, the ICSID has grown to represent approximately 150,000 designers and includes more than 150 members from over 50 countries. The first World Design Capital, Torino, Italy, was chosen in 2008. [...]

Helsinki’s Kinopalatsi opened in 1998 and has the distinction of being Finland’s first multiplex cinema. The building was originally a 1,000-seat theater, the Metropol, which opened in 1939. Today, the Kinopalatsi has ten theaters and more than 1,600 seats. Inside the theater, mahogany pillars and mirrored walls remind guests of the glamorous 1930s, while cutting-edge technology and comfortable seats provide moviegoers with a modern entertainment experience. Finland’s oldest theater is Helsinki’s Maxim. When Maxim opened [...]