The Finnish Civic Museum

Eliel Saarinen’s Helsinki Central Railway Station has been a symbol of Finnish urban culture for over a century. Internationally recognised as a design classic, the station has served both as a gateway to the world and as part of Finland’s collective self-image.   
 
Now, the Finnish Civic Museum, located in the station’s western wing, opens a new chapter in this story. The exhibition space makes culture as accessible as public transport: it brings Finnish art and design into the everyday paths of people moving through the station.   

Welcome to a new platform for Finnish art — one that moves with the rhythm of the city and belongs to all of us.   

Free entry daily at 06:00–24:00.  
  
The first-floor exhibition space is fully accessible. 

Helsinki Central Railway Station and Suomen Kuvalehti are the same age. When the magazine began publication in 1916, construction of the railway station was still underway. Both shared the same goal: to connect Finns and provide access to new places.

The newly independent Finland was curious. Finns explored cities across the country, from east to west. The North fascinated people, technology advanced, the population grew, and people moved to the cities.

The covers of the 110-year-old Suomen Kuvalehti over the decades also serve as a mirror of the nation. Both those in power and ordinary Finns look out at the reader. There is joy as well as drama. Growing prosperity and increased mobility brought new experiences, yet the image of Finland still feels remarkably familiar.

The western wing of Helsinki Central Railway Station is opening in a way that reveals its true scale and potential for new business. Its monumental, historically charged interiors offer a rare combination of architectural value, national visibility and a daily audience of thousands who pass by. 

The Civic Museum demonstrates what the western wing can become through culture — and what it can enable for an operator ready to bring a bold vision into the next century of the station’s life. 

Explore the spaces, get in touch, and secure your place in Finland’s most iconic and most frequented building >>