Exhibition highlights for children and families

Visitors of all ages are welcome at the Architecture & Design Museum. Every exhibition offers something to touch, explore and experience, making the museum an enjoyable destination for children as well. Here are our exhibition highlights for families and people visiting with children.

Escape to Moominvalley

Moominvalley
At the heart of the Escape to Moominvalley exhibition on the museum’s second floor is Moominvalley, an interactive space filled with activities for children of all ages.

• Relax and read Moomin stories in Snufkin’s tent.
• Leave a message on the feedback wall by drawing or writing. Drawing stations include platforms so visitors of all ages and heights can participate comfortably.
• Compose your own melody for Snufkin’s harmonica using the interactive touchscreen next to the Moominvalley bridge.
• The bravest visitors – even the smallest ones – can crawl into the cave with Sniff.
• The theatre area, together with its large soft building blocks, encourages children to build, create and play.

Children’s Path

The Children’s Path is a family-friendly exhibition route designed for children and their accompanying adults to explore the Escape to Moominvalley exhibition together. Along the path, families will find playful activities, observation tasks and conversation prompts that encourage exploration through play, imagination and interaction.

The Children’s Path is available as a printed booklet at the museum and can be borrowed free of charge for the duration of your visit.

The booklet includes a map highlighting children’s activities throughout the exhibition. Along the route, children can search for hidden Moomin characters while exploring the exhibition together with their adults. Adults will also find tips for creating a safe, engaging and inclusive museum visit. Some of the objects and materials along the trail are intended to be touched.

Aalto Design – Shapes of Wellbeing

The Aalto Design – Shapes of Wellbeing exhibition features an engaging Hands-on Exploration Space for visitors of all ages.

On the central table, you’ll find a beautiful selection of material samples inspired by Alvar Aalto’s use of materials, including glass bricks, miniature clay bricks and wooden blocks. Visitors are encouraged to touch the materials, experiment with them, and create patterns, buildings and forms.

Please note: Small objects may present a choking hazard. Young children should not be left unattended in this space.

Juha Vehmaanperä: Craft Punk

Juha Vehmaanperä is a textile artist whose work explores slow fashion, queer theory and craft. His projects combine traditional craft techniques with contemporary approaches and new technologies. Community participation, DIY culture and the reinterpretation of craft traditions are central to his artistic practice.

Visitors of all ages are invited to contribute to a collaborative knitted artwork in the exhibition. Instructions and materials are freely available for everyone to use.

Come and learn the basics of finger crochet while contributing to the Craft Punk community artwork.

Visiting the Café with Children

• The museum café, Taito Café, serves fresh soups and salads daily, along with a selection of sweet and savoury treats.
• High chairs are available, and baby food can be warmed on request.
• Baby changing facilities and potties are available at the museum.
• A quiet space for eating packed lunches or breastfeeding can be found in the Studio on the basement level.
• Breastfeeding is welcome throughout the museum.

Helping Everyone Enjoy Their Visit

• Children of primary school age and younger must stay with their accompanying adult at all times. Whenever possible, please hold your child’s hand while moving around the museum.
• Children of lower secondary school age and older may visit the museum independently.
• For the safety of the artworks, please do not carry children on your shoulders or in a child carrier backpack.
• Please move around the museum calmly. Although there is plenty of space, running is not permitted.
• Food and drink are not permitted in the exhibition galleries.
• Please be considerate of other visitors.