Museum’s Marimekko Collection on Tour in Japan

Collections from Architecture & Design Museum Helsinki will be on view in Japan this summer as the exhibition Marimekko: Art of Printmaking – Beauty, Dream, Love opens in Kyoto on 4 July. The majority of the exhibition’s contents – around 70 objects and photographs – have been loaned from the museum’s collections.

Organised in collaboration between Japanese museums and Marimekko, the exhibition showcases Marimekko’s iconic textile prints, photographs and garments from different decades. The exhibition takes visitors on a journey from the company’s early years to the present day, offering insight into the creative work of the designers behind the brand.

“Architecture & Design Museum Helsinki’s collections provide a window into Marimekko’s history, but also into the distinctive work and careers of individual designers. Many of the most important names in Finnish design worked for Marimekko at some point in their careers. It is wonderful to see Marimekko’s textile prints presented in Japan, where interest in both Marimekko and Finnish design remains strong,” says Harry Kivilinna, Curator at Architecture & Design Museum Helsinki.

The exhibition traces Marimekko’s growth from a Finnish textile company into an internationally recognised design brand. On display are patterns and garments designed by Maija Isola, Annika Rimala, Pentti Rinta and Katsuji Wakisaka, alongside historical materials that tell the story of the company’s international growth.

“There is a sense of human warmth and imperfection in Marimekko that resonates deeply with us. You can feel the touch of the human hand in its designs, and this ‘perfect imperfection’ is likely one of the reasons why Marimekko has remained so popular in Japan for decades. We are delighted to present a major Marimekko exhibition in Japanese museums for the first time in ten years”, say the exhibition organisers in Japan.

The Marimekko Collection at Architecture & Design Museum Helsinki is the world’s most significant Marimekko collection. It comprises approximately 4,000 garments, textiles and fabric samples, as well as around 10,000 photographs documenting Marimekko’s history and the work of its key designers across different decades.

From Kyoto, the exhibition will continue to Tokyo and Hiroshima. Further tour venues will be announced later.

Alongside the Marimekko exhibition, another exhibition based on the museum’s collections, Kaj Franck – Timeless Finland Design, is also touring Japan.

Related article

Aalto Works Recommended for UNESCO World Heritage Status

The Aalto Works series, consisting of sites designed by Alvar, Aino and Elissa Aalto is the nominant for the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The nomination brings together thirteen Aalto sites across Finland. In June, the nomination received a significant boost when ICOMOS, the advisory body to the World Heritage Committee, recommended the inclusion of Aalto Works on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The final decision on the possible World Heritage status of the Aalto Works series will be made by UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee at its session in Busan, Republic of Korea, from 19 to 29 July 2026.

Aalto Works

The sites included in the Aalto Works series represent modern Finnish architecture and design from the 1920s to the 1980s. They have contributed to the development of the welfare state and supported the well-being of communities in ways considered to have universal significance.

The Aalto Works sites are:

Sunila Pulp Mill Residential Area, Kotka

Paimio Sanatorium, Paimio

Säynätsalo Town Hall, Jyväskylä

Seinäjoki Civic Centre, Seinäjoki

Social Insurance Institution Main Office, Helsinki

Finlandia Hall, Helsinki

The Aalto House, Helsinki

Studio Aalto, Helsinki

Muuratsalo Experimental House, Jyväskylä

House of Culture, Helsinki

University of Jyväskylä, Aalto Campus, Jyväskylä

Church of Three Crosses, Imatra

Read more from the Alvar Aalto Foundation

Photo: Alvar and Elissa Aalto: Experimental House (1952–54), Muuratsalo, Foundation for the Finnish Museum of Architecture and Design / Simo Rista

City Council Approves Local Detailed Plan Amendment Enabling the new Museum for Architecture and Design

The Architecture & Design Museum is moving towards a new future. A new museum building will rise in Helsinki’s South Harbour, becoming part of the city’s historic maritime landscape.

On 10 June, the Helsinki City Council approved two local detailed plan amendments that will enable the further development of the South Harbour area.

The local detailed plan amendment for the new Museum for Architecture and Design makes it possible to construct a new museum building, a public event square and a waterfront promenade along Eteläranta.

The local detailed plan amendment for the Makasiiniranta and Olympiaranta areas will integrate the waterfront more closely into Helsinki’s commercial city centre. The protected Olympic Terminal and Harbour Office building will be designated for new uses. Makasiiniranta will be opened for public use, while Olympiaranta will continue to accommodate visiting cruise ships.

The City’s objective is to transform the currently closed port area into an open waterfront destination for everyone and to strengthen the role of South Harbour as an integral part of Helsinki’s city centre.

Read the City of Helsinki’s news release on City Council decisions

Textile artist Vuokko Nurmesniemi has passed away

The textile artist and designer Vuokko Nurmesniemi has passed away at the age of 96. She was one of the most significant figures in Finnish design and an internationally recognised pioneer of textile and fashion design.

Nurmesniemi is especially known for her work at Marimekko in the 1950s, where she played a key role in shaping the company’s visual identity during its international breakthrough. Her iconic designs, such as the striped Jokapoika shirt, have become enduring classics of Finnish design.

Born in Helsinki in 1930, Nurmesniemi studied ceramics at the Institute of Industrial Arts (Taideteollinen oppilaitos). Encouraged by Marimekko’s founder Armi Ratia, she moved into fashion and textile design. She began as a printed textile designer at Printex in 1953 and soon transitioned to a clothing designer at Marimekko, where she worked as a designer from 1953 to 1960. Nurmesniemi established her own company, Vuokko Oy, in 1964.

Nurmesniemi’s design philosophy emphasised clarity, functionality, and timelessness. Her work challenged conventions of fashion and contributed to redefining modern clothing for everyday life. Her garments were worn internationally, including by Jacqueline Kennedy, which further increased global interest in Finnish design.

Throughout her long career, Nurmesniemi remained committed to sustainable and enduring design. She received numerous awards and honours, including the title of Academician of Arts in Finland.

Vuokko Nurmesniemi’s life’s work has had a lasting impact on Finnish and international design culture. Her legacy continues through her distinctive body of work and the enduring influence of her ideas.

“There is no fashion, only time.” – Vuokko Nurmesniemi

Design Museum’s Antti + Vuokko Nurmesniemi exhibition, 2022–2023. Vuokko Nurmesniemi, Pyörre fabric, 1964, Vuokko Oy. (Photo: Paavo Lehtonen)

Myllynkivi dress, 1967; Pyörre printed fabric, 1964. Photographed in the atelier home in Kulosaari in 2022. (Photo: Paavo Lehtonen)

Donations to the museum collections since the 1990s

Vuokko Nurmesniemi had a close relationship with the Architecture & Design Museum. Already in the early 1990s, she donated a significant collection of garments and textiles to the museum’s collections.

A major exhibition of Nurmesniemi’s work was held at the Design Museum in 2007. More recently, in 2022–2023, the museum presented the Antti + Vuokko Nurmesniemi exhibition, which highlighted the breadth of the designer’s career and her significance to Finnish design. The exhibition was greatly loved by the audience for its versatile approach.

Main photo: Vuokko Nurmesniemi (Max Petrelius)

Design Museum’s Antti + Vuokko Nurmesniemi exhibition, 2022–2023. Dresses designed by Vuokko Nurmesniemi, Iso-4-Raita fabric, 1973, Vuokko Oy. (Photo: Paavo Lehtonen)

Vuokko Nurmesniemi and the Kakemono printed fabric, 1957. (Antti Nurmesniemi Archive)

From the Design Museum’s Antti + Vuokko Nurmesniemi exhibition, 2022–2023. Jokapoika shirts, 1956, in Piccolo fabric, 1953, Vuokko Nurmesniemi, Marimekko. (Photo: Paavo Lehtonen)

A new exhibition takes shape after Utopia Now

The Utopia Now collection exhibition, which opened in 2017 as part of Finland’s centenary celebrations, has closed on Sunday 12 April. This much-loved exhibition has offered new perspectives on Finnish design while also challenging established narratives. Since last year, the exhibition has been further enriched with Finnish architecture.

From the beginning of June, the first floor will be taken over by the exhibition Aalto Design – Forms of Wellbeing, which explores the thinking on wellbeing of some of the most renowned figures in Finnish architecture and design: Aino, Alvar and Elissa Aalto.

At Utopia Now, visitors have also been able to immerse themselves in the Finnish Pavilion at the 1900 Paris World’s Fair, which marked a breakthrough moment for Finnish design, art and architecture in an international context.

The exhibition has explored the essential role of the design fields in the development of the Finnish welfare state, while presenting designers, processes and end products in a human and accessible way. Exhibitions in the changing gallery space have critically examined the museum’s collection and renewed interpretations of it.

In 2020, the changing exhibition space featured Endless Rhythm, an installation by artist Caitlin Yardley, which examined form and movement through Aino Aalto’s Bölgeblick series (1932) dinner plate.

Utopia Now has also served as a versatile learning platform for school and daycare groups, offering visitors a gateway into the world of design learning. Alongside the exhibition, a digital collection presenting the holdings of the then Design Museum was published, expanding the exhibition experience and enabling access to the collections beyond the museum walls.

Industry Muscle Promo Video Wins Award at Voitto

The promotional video for the Industry Muscle exhibition presented in Venice has won first prize in the Music and Sound Design category at the Finnish advertising film competition Voitto.

The best advertising films of 2025 were awarded at the Voitto Gala held at the Old Student House in Helsinki on Friday, 6 March 2026. The jury praised the video in particular for its strong understanding of the dramaturgical power of sound.

The award-winning video served as the international promotional material for the Industry Muscle exhibition, highlighting its key themes through powerful audiovisual storytelling.

The Voitto competition annually honors the best creators and productions in Finnish advertising film.

The Architecture and Design Museum produced the exhibition Industry Muscle: Five Scores for Architecture for the Nordic Pavilion at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia. The Biennale was open to the public from 10 May to 23 November 2025.

Created by performance artist Teo Ala-Ruona together with their working group, the exhibition examined the modern built environment from the perspective of the trans body. Combining architecture, performance art, and installation, the project proposed five exercises for the architecture of the future. The exhibition was curated by architect Kaisa Karvinen.

The video was filmed at a concrete factory in Helsinki, where the exhibition installation was built from concrete, steel, and an old sports car. The video also offered a first glimpse of the performance presented in Venice. The performers are Ala-Ruona, Kid Kokko, and Caroline Suinner.

The video was produced by Cocoa and directed by Taito Kawata, whose previous work includes the Netflix series Dance Brothers.

Video Production Team

Director – Taito Kawata
Executive Producer – Ilona Malinen
Music & Sound Design – Akseli Soini / El Camino
Music & Sound Design – Petja Virikko / El Camino
Sound Design / Original score for Industry Muscle: Tuukka Haapakorpi
Director of Photography – Tuomas Nurmi
Production Manager: Samuli Hilkamo
Production assistant: Juuli Nyberg
Production Assistant / Gaffer – Eemi Lehto
Light Technician – Tiia Hyyryläinen
1st Assistant Camera – Henrik Leppänen
Hair & Makeup – Emma Janhonen
Grip – Oskari Jokinen
Grip Assistant – Pepe Uimonen
Set Design – Teo Paaer
VFX Artist – Juho Lähdesmäki
Colorist – Joni Kuusisto

Performers
Teo Ala-Ruona
Caroline Suinner
Kid Kokko

Special Thanks
Jan Tuomisto / Studio Lupara Oy
Angel Rentals / Roope Ruuska
Bongobongo / Joonas Saine
Vihdin Betoni Oy

Production Company
Cocoa (@wearecocoa)

Upcoming exhibition explores Aalto architecture and design through wellbeing

Aalto Design: Shapes of Wellbeing  
5 June 2026 – 3 January 2027  

In summer 2026, the Architecture and Design Museum Helsinki will present the architecture and design of Alvar, Aino and Elissa Aalto. The multidisciplinary exhibition Aalto Design: Shapes of Wellbeing boldly asks what these classics can contribute to contemporary discussions on the design of wellbeing.  

Opening in June 2026 at the Architecture and Design Museum, Aalto Design: Shapes of Wellbeing invites visitors to explore the Aaltos’ legacy from the perspective of wellbeing.

 The exhibition highlights wellbeing as the Aaltos’ major contribution to Western architectural modernism and examines how their work and philosophy approach it as a balance between people, nature, the built environment, and materials. It connects the Aaltos’ idea of holistic wellbeing with contemporary thinking and the growing desire to understand wellbeing as extending beyond the individual to concern the whole planet.  

The exhibition is produced by the Architecture and Design Museum and curated by the Head of Research Petteri Kummala and the Exhibitions Curator Jutta Tynkkynen. The museum’s newly appointed Chief Curator, Carson Chan, has served as curatorial advisor. The curatorial concept brings together a diverse dialogue of presentation methods and materials, including drawings and scale models, furniture, glass objects and material experiments, as well as artworks. The exhibition also features rarely displayed items from the museum’s collections. 

Museum Director Pilvi Kalhama’s vision has been to introduce diverse modes of storytelling and presentation that encourage new interpretations of familiar materials. The exhibition includes, among other works, the multi-channel video installation Other Actors (2025) by London-based artist and researcher Ilona Sagar. The work explores the relationships between body and building, and between health and architecture, at the Paimio Sanatorium designed by the Aaltos.

“On our journey towards a new Architecture and Design Museum, we want to find ways to experience and interpret architecture and design in experiential and multidisciplinary ways,” says Pilvi Kalhama.

The Aalto Lounge, designed by exhibition architect Linda Bergroth, offers a calm space for rest and reflection and invites visitors to explore how being in a space affects their body and mind in the presence of authentic Aalto objects. The lounge also functions as an experiential meeting and event space available for hire. 

The exhibition is based on works by Alvar, Aino and Elissa Aalto from the Architecture and Design Museum’s collections, supplemented by loans. The exhibition’s partner is the Alvar Aalto Foundation. 

Further information about the exhibition and public programme will be announced at a later date.  

Notes for editors

Alvar Aalto (1898–1976) was a Finnish architect and designer who rose to iconic status both nationally and internationally. He is known as a key pioneer of humane modernism. Aalto’s architecture has been proposed for inclusion on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, with a decision expected in 2026.

Aino Marsio-Aalto (1894–1949) was a nationally and internationally recognized architect, designer, and interior architect, as well as one of the founders of Artek. She worked alongside her spouse as an equal partner in design and, as Artek’s first artistic director, created the company’s distinctive style. As a designer, Aino Aalto is especially known for her glassware.

Elissa Aalto (1922–1994) was a Finnish architect and Alvar Aalto’s longtime collaborator and spouse, who had a significant influence on the operations of Aalto’s office in the postwar period. From the 1950s onward, she played a central role in the firm’s major building projects. After her husband’s death, Elissa led the office, completed unfinished projects, and participated in planning the restoration of Aalto’s buildings.

For materials, images and interview requests

Ilona Hildén 
Communications Specialist 
Architecture & Design Museum Helsinki 
ilona.hilden@admuseo.fi 
+358 443582175 

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Image: Other Actors, Ilona Sagar, 2025.

A new exhibition intro introduces the themes of Escape to Moominvalley

From January onwards, the Architecture and Design Museum will host regular exhibition intros for its main exhibition Escape to Moominvalley. The exhibition intros take place weekly on Tuesdays and Saturdays in several languages. The exhibition intros replace the previous open public guided tours of the main exhibition and allow more visitors to take part in these popular guided introductions.

The exhibition intro is a 30-minute guided introduction where visitors can sit back and listen as the guide presents the key themes and stories of the exhibition. A visual presentation combined with the guide’s expertise offers new perspectives and practical tips to help visitors get the most out of the exhibition at their own pace.

Before the exhibition intro begins, visitors have the opportunity to take part in the Escapism Poetry Game, where they can create their own poems and project them onto a screen. A smartphone is required to scan the QR code. Visitors are encouraged to arrive around 15 minutes in advance.

Participation in the exhibition intro is included in the price of a museum ticket.

Up-to-date schedules for the exhibition intros can be found in the museum’s event calendar.

Foundation reaches Endowment Target with Significant Gift

The donation of two million euros from the Louise & Göran Ehrnrooth Foundation has secured the minimum goal for the endowment for the Foundation for the Finnish Museum of Architecture and Design. The returns from the capital assets will provide long-term financial support for the operations of the Museum of Architecture and Design in its new building, set to open in the early 2030s in Helsinki’s South Harbour.

With the commitment from the Louise & Göran Ehrnrooth Foundation, the Foundation for the Finnish Museum of Architecture and Design’s capital endowment has now reached its minimum goal of 150 million euros. The 60 million euro commitments by each of the Foundation’s founders – the Finnish state and the City of Helsinki – create the capital base. An exceptionally strong share of the funding, 30 million euros, has been raised from private sector donors.

Through the donation, the Louise & Göran Ehrnrooth Foundation will become a Founding Partner of the New Museum of Architecture and Design. Other Founding Partners include the Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation, the Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation, the Finnish Cultural Foundation, the Swedish Cultural Foundation in Finland, the Saastamoinen Foundation, and the Centennial Fund of the Finnish Society of Crafts and Design.

The Louise & Göran Ehrnrooth Foundation, established in 1991, supports education and research, environmental protection, culture and social activities in Finland. The foundation annually awards over one million euros in long-term grants and scholarships to innovative pilot projects.

“The New Museum of Architecture and Design is an exceptionally significant initiative. We are excited to support a project that strengthens and showcases the global visibility of Finnish design and architecture, as well as highlights their significance for society, culture and economy. The future museum, located in a landmark setting, will create a new attraction for Helsinki and the whole of Finland. It is an honour for us to help enable the realization of this vision,” says Georg Ehrnrooth, Chairman of the Louise & Göran Ehrnrooth Foundation.

“The Louise and Göran Ehrnrooth Foundation’s donation is a powerful expression of confidence in the future and value of design and architecture within our society. Thanks to this this pivotal contribution, we are ready to take the next steps on the journey towards opening the New Museum of Architecture and Design. We express our warmest gratitude to the Louise & Göran Ehrnrooth Foundation,” says Kaarina Gould, CEO of the Foundation for the Finnish Museum of Architecture and Design.

The New Museum of Architecture and Design

The New Museum of Architecture and Design is expected to open in Helsinki’s South Harbour’s Makasiiniranta district in 2030. The results of the international design competition for the museum’s new building were announced in September 2025. The Finnish architecture firm JKMM Architects, known for their museum architecture, was selected as the winner. The museum’s new home aims to provide a setting for world-class museum activities and to enable the museum’s social mission: shaping our shared future through architecture and design. The new building is being implemented by the Real Estate Company ADM, founded by the City of Helsinki and the Finnish State.

Image: JKMM Architects

Change negotiations at the Architecture & Design Museum have concluded

The Architecture & Design Museum conducted change negotiations in November 2025. The background of these negotiations is a cost-saving target of more than half a million euros for 2026. As a result of the negotiations, six employment contracts will end, and the employment terms of 13 employees will change. 

A wide range of measures was considered during the change negotiations to achieve the savings target. At the start of the negotiations, it was estimated that the savings measures could result in up to 20 employment contracts being terminated. Full terminations were not required, partly due to changes in employment terms. 

In addition to the six contracts ending, the employment terms of 13 employees will change. For example, customer service staff will be offered on-call employment contracts where applicable. The aim of the negotiations was to ensure that the number and structure of personnel will support the organisation’s operational objectives in a purposeful and efficient manner in the future. 

The museum’s difficult financial situation is influenced by several factors, including the merger of the two museums in early 2024, the expected reduction of public grants in the coming years, and the decline in visitor numbers and other self-generated income. 

‘Our visitor numbers have not met expectations, although the autumn exhibitions have attracted a strong audience. In addition, we consolidated our operations into a single museum building this year. For this reason, we encountered a need to reduce staff working during museum opening hours,’ says Museum Director Pilvi Kalhama. 

Kalhama notes that the savings measures implemented by the museum will not affect the progress of the new museum project. The museum’s finances are expected to improve in 2027, which will enable the development of museum operations in the future. 

‘At present, we are managing and developing the museum’s current operations while simultaneously building the path toward the new museum. In the future, the scale of museum operations will be larger than today, but we have had to reassess the timetable for growth. We are keeping our feet on the ground and focusing on the present and on stabilising the financial foundation,’ Kalhama says.