Finlandia Hall’s New Exhibition Turns Private Family Stories Into Public History.
A new permanent exhibition is opening inside Finlandia Hall in Helsinki on 4 June 2025. It explores Finnish identity through the lives and legacy of Aino, Elissa, and Alvar Aalto.
Called the Finlandia Exhibition, this installation offers a close and honest look into the careers and personal worlds of the Aaltos. It goes beyond their design work and reflects on what it means to be Finnish through architecture, culture, and everyday life. Produced by Finlandia Hall Ltd, the exhibition brings new life to one of Helsinki’s most symbolic landmarks.
Johanna Tolonen, CEO of Finlandia Hall Ltd, says there is deep meaning behind the location.
“To open this kind of exhibition inside Finlandia Hall means everything. Alvar Aalto designed the building to be a stage for Finland itself,” she said.
This permanent exhibit is part of Finlandia Hall’s renewed concept since it reopened in January 2025. The renovated building now includes a restaurant, a wine café, a design shop, and guest accommodations. It was built to be a space where people come not just to visit, but to experience culture.
Tolonen believes the exhibition completes the vision. “We wanted Finlandia Hall to feel like an open home. This permanent exhibition about the Aaltos, this building, and the spirit of Finland ties the whole concept together.”
Visitors are taken through a story that feels real and personal. It includes the Aaltos’ letters, sketches, photographs, and design pieces. Their influence on both modern Finland and global design is shown through intimate moments and public achievements.
A major highlight is a collection of rare family photographs never seen before. Heikki Aalto Alanen, the grandson of Aino and Alvar, donated more than one hundred images from the family’s private archives.
“This is not like the past exhibitions. This one shows who they were as people. Aino and Alvar helped shape how Finland received modern influences,” he explained.
The exhibition mixes personal stories with the broader history of twentieth century Finland. It presents their work with homes, furniture, glassware, and civic buildings. Nature also plays a strong role in the storytelling, especially the importance of the Finnish forest.
The concept was created by exhibition architect Taina Väisänen and historian Kirsti Manninen. Väisänen is known for her work in top museums across Finland and abroad. Manninen has written many nonfiction works and is among the most widely read authors in the country.
Together they worked with experts and scholars on Aalto history to ensure everything was accurate and respectfully handled. The goal was to share a fresh, deeply human view of the Aaltos and the world they helped shape.
Main sponsorship came from KPMG. Other partners include the Finnish Forest Foundation’s New Wood initiative, Fiskars Group, and Genelec. Creative professionals across design and media contributed to the look and feel of the exhibition.
Until now, Helsinki had no central space dedicated to the Aaltos. This exhibition fills that gap. With worldwide interest in their work still growing, the exhibition is expected to bring in both local and international visitors.
Finlandia Hall, one of Alvar Aalto’s most iconic works, was completed in 1971. Its recent renovations kept the original design spirit intact while giving it new life for modern use. Now with the new exhibition in place, the building becomes more than an event space. It becomes a gateway into Finnish identity.
According to Finlandia Hall Ltd, this will serve as the first stop for many looking to discover other Aalto sites around the country. It invites people to see Finland through the eyes of the Aaltos and feel what they felt.
