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Suomenlinna Museum Day

Museum Day at the fortress museums of Suomenlinna is celebrated annually on Gustavus Day, June 6. The museums are open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., with free admission.

The museums located within the UNESCO World Heritage site of Suomenlinna Sea Fortress are the Suomenlinna Museum, the Ehrensvärd Museum, the Customs Museum, and the Military Museum of Finland with three locations – Manege, Artillery Manege and the Submarine Vesikko.

Museum Day Programme 2026

During Museum Day, an extensive programme of free events and guided tours is offered across all museums. In addition, historical figures will be roaming the area in honour of the day, including King Gustav III.

Suomenlinna Museum

3:00 PM Exhibition Presentation: The Magic of Handmade Glass

Glass artist Esko Kurvinen, working in Suomenlinna, presents the exhibition The Magic of Handmade Glass. This travelling exhibition by the Finnish Glass Museum celebrates the inclusion of handmade glassmaking in UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list. The exhibition explores the tradition of handmade glass and highlights Finnish expertise and activity in the glass sector. The Suomenlinna Museum display also introduces the Suomenlinna glass studio

11:00 AM–8:00 PM Ten Questions about Suomenlinna Museum – Self-guided Visit

Why was Suomenlinna built and who constructed the fortress? These and many other questions are answered at the Suomenlinna Museum. During your visit, you can explore the history of Suomenlinna by searching for answers throughout the exhibition. The museum displays everyday objects, tools, weapons, and ammunition found in Suomenlinna. The permanent exhibition provides a comprehensive overview of the fortress’s history, the lives of its residents in the 18th and 19th centuries, and its restoration work.

Ehrensvärd Museum

11:00 AM–8:00 PM Temporary Exhibition: Atlases of The Mariner -Historical sea charts of the Baltic Sea

The Baltic Sea has been navigated since the Viking Age, but the first proper nautical charts only emerged in the late 16th century. Nautical charts were high technology of their time—strategically and economically valuable documents that were closely guarded. The exhibition Atlases of The Mariner introduces the basics of hydrography, the development of Baltic Sea mapping, and presents nautical charts from the 17th–19th centuries. The exhibition is produced by the John Nurminen Foundation in cooperation with the Ehrensvärd Society.

11:00 AM–8:00 PM Ten Questions about Ehrensvärd Museum – Self-guided Visit

How was the commandant’s house heated in the 18th century and what was the new hot beverage of the time? At the Ehrensvärd Museum, you will learn about Viapori fortress and life in the 18th century by finding answers within the exhibition. The museum’s interior presents an authentic noble home of the period. On display are portraits, furniture, and ship models. The museum is located in Suomenlinna in maritime Helsinki.

The Military Museum of Finland

12:00 PM guided tour in Finnish: Merisodankäynti Suomessa (Naval warfare in Finland)

2:00 PM guided tour in Finnish: Sodan muuttamia (Changed by war)

4:00 PM guided tour in English: Civilians at War

11:00 AM–8:00 PM Submarine workshop – create your own submarine!

Submarine Vesikko

1:30 PM themed guided tour in Finnish: Sukellusveneet Suomessa (Submarines in Finland)

5:30 PM themed guided tour in Finnish: Vesikon matka museoveneeksi (Vesikko’s journey to a museum vessel)

Customs Museum

At the Customs Museum, you can explore the new exhibition “A Line in the Middle of the Forest – Customs and the Finnish-Russian border since 1944” as well as the permanent exhibition on the long history of Finnish Customs.

Customs dogs Arttu and Sisu will arrive in Suomenlinna to demonstrate their skills! The demonstrations will take place near the Customs Museum starting at 1:00 PM.

Customs dog demonstrations:
12:30 PM
1:15 PM
2:30 PM

Characters from the Suomenlinna Adventure Tour

From 13:45 to 14:15, meet the historical characters King Gustav III, Mrs Söderberg, and the ship boy Mikael in Piper Park. Come say hello and take photos together!

The characters will visit the museums in the early evening according to the following schedule. Please note that the listed times are approximate, and that people from the 18th century may, for example, become confused by crowds along the way…

Programme from previous museum days

Suomenlinna Museum
1 p.m. & 2 p.m.
Introduction to the temporary exhibition “The Sea’s Cellar”
A representative of the John Nurminen Foundation presents the exhibition and discusses the Baltic Sea.

Ehrensvärd Museum
12 p.m. & 2 p.m.
Miss Blomcreutz’s Guided House Tours (in Finnish) – approx. 30 minutes
During the tour, visitors explore the museum and learn what a noble home could look like in the 18th century. The tour covers styles and customs of the period and introduces the basics of the minuet as well as the secret language once used with fans.

The Military Museum of Finland
Two new miniature exhibitions open for the summer season:
“Between Two Homes”, about war children, and
“Victory Is Ours”, a poster exhibition on Soviet wartime propaganda.
Free guided tours and family-friendly activities throughout the day.
Guided tours at the Manege
12.00 Finland at War 1939–1945 (30 min, in English)
14.00 Human Fates in War (30 min)
18.00 Finland at War (30 min)
19.00 The Lapland War – 80 Years Since the End of the War (30 min)
Guided tours at the Artillery Manege
14.30 Between Two Homes – Introduction (15 min)
15.00 Changed by War (30 min)
17.00 Victory Is Ours – Introduction to Soviet Propaganda (15 min)
Summer Colouring Corner & Paper Doll Workshop
(Artillery Manege)
Colour summery pictures and create your own paper dolls with clothes and accessories.

Submarine Vesikko
1 p.m.
Submarine School for Children
What was it like to be a submariner in the 1930s? Through play, children learn about the world of submarines – all participants receive a diploma!
All-day activity: The Wild Vesikko Cubs
Submarine mother Maire has lost her cubs in the museum – help find them! Search for the colourful cubs and win a prize (one prize per participant).

Customs Museum
1.00 p.m., 1.45 p.m. & 2.30 p.m.
Customs dogs demonstrate their skills.

Characters from the Sveaborg Adventure Tour
12–2 p.m. & 3–5 p.m.
Miss Blomcreutz and Matti Matinpoika Mattila from the Sveaborg Adventure Tour roam the museums, guiding visitors toward new discoveries.