The Era of Independence exhibition explores the highs and lows of Finland’s recent history. The independent Finland was born during restless years, grew through crises, built wellbeing, heated the sauna – and continued its journey.
The seven-room exhibition takes you through the shifts of history: from wars and crises, through the construction of the welfare state, and towards the present and future.
Central themes include equality, turning points of history, and the particular nature of being Finnish, which may sometimes come across as strange but also happy.
The exhibition points out what is unique about Finland, while encouraging you to think about the flip side of Finland’s image. The story of Finland keeps on moving.
The Story of Finland
The National Museum tells the story of Finland through three independent exhibitions. The exhibitions take you from the Stone Age to the present day and invite you to think about where we are heading. Carefully selected classics from the collections and surprising fates of people paint an image of Finland’s past that was multi-voiced and had extensive networks. Based on Finland’s largest cultural history collection, the Story of Finland forms the foundation and core of the National Museum.
The exhibitions, shown at the National Museum between 2017–2023, have now been updated. The revision of the exhibitions has been based on the changed interpretation of history while bringing some of the most interesting finds of recent years on display.
Explore also
Upcoming: Prehistory – Years 10 000 BCE – 1100 CE
Prehistory tells about life in Finland during the first 10,000 years; it tells about people like us the, whose culture,..
Upcoming: Otherland – Years 1100–1900
How did the region between Scandinavia and Russia become Finland? The Otherland exhibition depicts an era when a country called..
Opening hours and tickets
The National Museum will open to the public in spring 2027.
Contact information and location
Mannerheimintie 34, 00100 Helsinki
Tel. +358 295 33 6457