The curved ramps
Northern light flowing down the walls.
Paasikivi — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Finnish National Gallery /Pirje Mykkänen — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Finnish National Gallery /Petri Virtanen — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Finnish National Gallery / Pirje Mykkänen — CC BY-SA 3.0
A building curving like a wave of zinc and glass in the city centre: Kiasma by the American architect Steven Holl (1998) stands between Parliament, the station and the Post Office as if landed from another planet, its interior all curved ramps and northern light seeping from every angle — the building itself its most famous exhibit. The collection is Finnish and Nordic contemporary art from the 1960s to today — installations, video, photography and interactive works changing every few months in large shows, with a children's space where the small make art rather than watch it. The ground-floor café looks onto the equestrian statue of Mannerheim. Part of the National Gallery with the Ateneum, the combined ticket covering both within a week. Ninety minutes suffice for contemporary art; those unmoved by it should still look at the building from outside.
Northern light flowing down the walls.
The small make art rather than watch it.
Mannerheiminaukio 2, Helsinki
Amos RexAmos Rex is the most talked-about building opened in Helsinki this century, and 2 minutes walk4.3
Oodi Central LibraryThe most famous library in the world today: Oodi (2018) was Finland's gift to it3 minutes walk4.9
Helsinki Central StationHelsinki Central Station is among Finland's best-known buildings, designed by **3 minutes walk4.2
Kamppi Chapel of SilenceA wooden vessel of silence in the city's noisiest square: Kamppi Chapel (2012) i3 minutes walk4.3
Ateneum Art MuseumFinland's largest classical art collection: the Ateneum, opposite Central Statio5 minutes walk4.5Ateneum for classic and golden-age Finnish art; Kiasma for the contemporary. For one visit most prefer Ateneum, and this building can be seen from outside.