Military Museum of Finland, Helsinki, Finland

The Military Museum of Finland is the central museum of the Finnish Defence Forces and the national special museum of military history. It was founded in 1929. n 1933 the exhibition was moved to Suomenlinna. During the second world war 1939-45 the museum was closed to the public. The museum was opened to the public again 1948 in Kruununhaka. Today the Military Museum is located in a garrison building designed by Evert Lagerspetz in 1883.

The museum represents general military history and related equipment from the 17th century to the present day: Exhibitions include weapons, colours, decorations, arms, uniformas and collection of art works.

User Reviews

Mahmud Syaltout (20 days ago)
Military museum with good collections. Kids will enjoy the jet simulation and some military costums.

Joyce Tang (2 months ago)
Ticket prices: 7 Euros - adults, 4 Euros - seniors /students. You are able to go and see the Vesikko Submarine further down the island without additional cost by presenting your purchased military museum ticket at the submarine's entrance. The museum is notated in both Finnish and English and split into two buildings. Nearly every display has it's own detailed description and helps visitors build a pretty comprehensive understanding of Finnish military history. I found the museum to be very interesting, especially the meaning of the Swastika in Finland, and how vastly different the meaning of the symbol is to the Finnish, especially in comparision to the meaning the symbol is most well known for after WWII. Another highlight was being able to sit in the cockpit of an old pilot jet and have a good poke around the controls, which cover almost every surface of the flight deck!

Harri Valtiala (2 months ago)
It's a pity that we don't have real military museum. This can be seen only temporary solution and as a such it's adequate

Annie (2 months ago)
If you visit Soumelina the military museum is a must! Though I have visited quite a few museums in Helsinki, this was by far the most interesting. Scenes from war are well represented along with uniforms and relevant facts. I have learned quite a few details about Finland's history just by visiting Military Museum.

Cristian Tudose (2 months ago)
Very nice museum split it 2 building. A lot of interesting exhibits and info. You get the chance to see part of the Finnish history, a tank and old cars, uniforms (you can try some of them along with helmets) and meat part you get to jump into a fighter jet cockpit and see how it is. Amazing experience and best thing to visit on the island!

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

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Historic Site of the week

Royal Palace of Aranjuez

Palacio Real de Aranjuez is a former Spanish royal residence. It was established around the time Philip II of Spain moved the capital from Toledo to Madrid. Aranjuez became one of four seasonal seats of government, occupied during the springtime (from about holy week). Thereafter, the court moved successively to Rascafría, El Escorial and wintered in Madrid. Aranjuez Cultural Landscape is an UNESCO World Heritage Site.

After the Christian conquest, Aranjuez was owned by the Order of Santiago and a palace was built for its Grand Masters where the Royal Palace stands today. When the Catholic Monarchs assumed the office of Grand Master of the Order of Santiago, Aranjuez became part of the Royal estate. This fertile land, located between the Tajo and Jarama Rivers, was converted into the Spanish monarchy"s most lavish country retreat: during Spain"s Golden Age, Aranjuez became a symbol for the perfection of nature by mortal hands, as El Escorial was for art.

Such excellence was based on strong Renaissance foundations, as Charles V envisaged this inherited estate as a large Italian-inspired villa, a desire continued by Philip II who appointed Juan Bautista de Toledo to design leafy avenues that ran through the gardens and farming land. A series of dams was constructed in the 16th century to control the course of the Tajo River and create a network of irrigation canals.

The splendour of the estate was only enhanced by the Bourbon monarchs, who would spend the whole spring, from Easter to July, at the Palace. Phillip V added new gardens and Ferdinand VI designed a new system of tree-lined streets and created a small village within the estate, which was further developed by Charles III and Charles IV. As Ferdinand VII and Isabella II continued to visit Aranjuez during the spring, the splendour of this site was maintained until 1870.

The Royal Palace, built by Phillip II on the site of the old palace of the Grand Masters of Santiago, was designed by the architect Juan Bautista de Toledo –under whom construction began in 1564– and later Juan Herrera, who only managed to finish half the project. Although glimpses of the original layout still remain, the building itself is more characteristic of the classicism favoured by the Hapsburg monarchs, with alternating white stone and brick. The original design was continued by Phillip V in 1715 but not finished until 1752 under Ferdinand VI. The rectangular layout that Juan Bautista de Toledo had planned, and that took two centuries to complete, was only maintained for 20 years, since in 1775 Charles III added two wings onto the Palace.

Real Casa del Labrador

As the Prince of Asturias, Charles IV was a frequent visitor to the pier pavilions built by Ferdinand VI and grew up playing in the Prince’s Garden. When he became King, he decided to build a new country house at the far end of these gardens, known as the Casa del Labrador (the labourer"s house) due to its modest exterior that was designed to heavily contrast the magnificent internal decor. It was built by chief architect Juan de Villanueva and his pupil Isidro González Velázquez, who designed some of the interior spaces. These rooms, developed in various stages until 1808, are the greatest example of the lavish interior decor favoured by this monarch in his palaces and country retreats. Highlights at this Site include the combination of different types of art and the luxurious textiles, in particular the silks from Lyon, as well as wealth of original works on the main floor, where Ferdinand VII added various paintings and landscapes by Brambilla.

King"s Garden, the Island Garden, Parterre Garden and the Prince"s Garden

Phillip II, a great lover of gardens, paid special attention to this feature of the Aranjuez Palace: during his reign, he maintained both the Island Garden, designed by the architect Juan Bautista de Toledo, and the King"s Garden, immediately adjacent to the Palace and whose current layout was designed by Philip IV. The majority of the fountains on this island were commissioned by Phillip IV, while the Bourbons added other features such as the Charles III benches.

Phillip V made two French-style additions to the existing gardens: the Parterre Garden in front of the palace and the extension at the far end of the Island Garden, known as the Little Island, where he installed the Tritons Fountain that was later moved to the Campo del Moro park by Isabella II.

The Prince"s Garden owes its name and creation to the son and heir of Charles III who, in the 1770s, began to use Ferdinand VI"s old pier for his own enjoyment. He also created a landscaped garden in the Anglo-French style that was in fashion at the time and which was directly influenced by Marie Antoinette"s gardens at the Petit Trianon. Both Juan de Villanueva and Pablo Boutelou collaborated in the design of this garden.

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