National Museum and the Attic

The National Museum's Attic was permanently closed in spring 2020, and a new event space will open in the location in August 2020. All of the National Museum's exhibitions have been designed to be child-friendly, so it's worth visiting the museum despite the Attic's closure. 

Museum Buddy and Me - at the museum with a three-year-old, part 2

The National Museum with its magnificent towers is visible from far away and is definitely worth experiencing for the building alone. Akseli Gallen-Kallela's magnificent Kalevala-themed frescoes on the entrance floor are worth seeing.

[caption id=“attachment_316” align=“aligncenter” width=“2000”] Akseli Gallen-Kallela’s Kalevala-themed frescoes at the National Museum.[/caption]

The National Museum currently has three permanent exhibitions; The Realm, Prehistory, and the Attic designed for children. The changing exhibition during our visit was a Public and Hidden Finland photography exhibition, which is not suitable for children due to the subject matter of the images. The Realm exhibition floor was impressive viewing for an adult, but the three-year-old accompanying us was frightened in the dark exhibition, even though there was royal splendor that we tried to explain in a Frozen-appropriate way ;). The exhibition itself has nothing unsuitable for children, but museum objects cannot be touched here.

The Prehistory exhibition in the museum’s basement is a modernly executed exhibition where most of the exhibition is implemented using information technology. Here you can touch and try things, peer and feel around, so you can also take a younger child to the exhibition. The three-year-old watched a grumbling mammoth here, explored stone shapes and was delighted by skulls that came to life, which were talked about for a long time after the museum visit.

[caption id=“attachment_312” align=“aligncenter” width=“1334”] The Prehistory exhibition has a bright and modern appearance.[/caption]

[caption id=“attachment_314” align=“aligncenter” width=“945”] The chattering and gossiping rocks were a hit with the child in the Prehistory exhibition.[/caption]

The third-floor Attic has been built for children and the child-hearted. The Attic deals with Finnish history visually through play and works best probably for elementary school-aged children, but younger children also pass the time here and the activities adapt well to younger children’s play. At the Attic you can, for example, groom a horse, build a house, play shop or school, do assembly line work, and type on a typewriter. The exhibition floor has a nice atmosphere and everything is child-sized, and you can’t get lost in the space. There is also museum staff on site who, from my experience, are happy to tell you more about the exhibition or help with weaving a rug, for example. A well-executed whole.

[caption id=“attachment_311” align=“aligncenter” width=“1000”] The Attic’s dollhouse.[/caption]

[caption id=“attachment_350” align=“aligncenter” width=“2000”] Plenty to do at the Attic[/caption]

The National Museum’s historic building presents its own challenges when moving around with small children in strollers, but a museum tour is possible with strollers too. Double strollers fit in the elevator, though narrowly, touching the walls. On the lowest floor there is plenty of quiet space and a functional changing room and toilet in the accessible restroom.

The museum café is cozy and extremely clean, though the pastries and small savories are quite traditional. The café serves a buffet lunch on weekdays. Connected to the café is a nice summer terrace in the courtyard of the museum building.

The National Museum also has an outdoor courtyard area surrounded by a stone wall, which, in my opinion, is available even for a quick breather.

Access with strollers is through a door below the main stairs, from which there is an elevator connection to the museum floors. Lockable, toggle-operated storage lockers are available in the basement and on the first floor. Strollers can be left by the coat racks if desired.

During the museum visit, it felt that children were treated positively here and we were welcome.

[caption id=“attachment_313” align=“aligncenter” width=“1334”] In the Prehistory exhibition, you can explore history with modern technology.[/caption]