Bringing people together through history and heritage
The Friends of the National Museum are a lively and engaged community that values cultural heritage and history and whose diverse activities support the work of the National Museum of Finland.
The Friends of the National Museum that serves as a meeting place for people interested in history, celebrated its tenth anniversary with great enthusiasm in early 2025. For its members, the association organises events and inspiring visits related to cultural heritage and history in Finland and its neighbouring countries, including places that are not usually open to the public. The association supports the National Museum of Finland, for example, through voluntary work and donations of objects and funds.
The main image shows members of the association learning about the National Museum of Finland’s collections work at the Collections and Conservation Centre in Vantaa, led by an expert from the National Museum of Finland’s Collections Services.
Diverse activities together with the National Museum of Finland
Summer meeting in Savonlinna with the Director General of the National Museum of Finland
The board of the Friends of the National Museum visited Olavinlinna Castle and enjoyed a cruise aboard the museum vessel s/s Saimaa in Savonlinna in July 2026.
The inspection vessel s/s Saimaa is part of the collection of the Maritime Museum of Finland and the collections of the National Museum of Finland.
During the steamboat cruise, Director General Elina Anttila facilitated a discussion on how culture and cultural heritage can serve as resources for national vitality and security.
Donation towards the conservation of rare book covers
In 2026, the Friends of the National Museum of Finland made a donation that enabled the conservation of rare old book covers for the National Museum’s exhibition Toista maata.
The image shows the book covers from the parish of Nousiainen before conservation. The conserved book covers will be on display in the National Museum from April 2027 onwards, alongside other new and previously featured objects in the Suomen tarina trilogy and all the new exhibitions.
Friends explore materials for their own bench in Fiskars
Some of the elm trees removed from the National Museum grounds due to the construction work are being given a new life by designer Atte Pylvänen.
A 2025 donation from the Friends of the National Museum made it possible to begin producing prototypes of the elm benches and gives the association its own dedicated bench.
During their 2026 trip to Fiskars, the Friends explored the pieces of elm that will be used to make their own bench for the National Museum’s new extension.