3.1.2025
Renewed Finlandia Hall Opens to the Public
PRESS RELEASE
For release on January 2, 2025, at 10:00 AM EET
Renewed Finlandia Hall Opens to the Public on January 4 – “Beginning of a New Era”
The wait is finally over as Finlandia Hall opens its doors on Saturday, January 4, after three years of renovation. The New Finlandia begins an entirely new era in the iconic venue’s history: for the first time, the doors will be open daily to all city residents and travellers, and the renovated Finlandia Hall will offer more diverse services than before, from a restaurant and wine café to accommodation, exhibition, and a design shop.
One of Finland’s most significant and versatile event venues, Finlandia Hall, designed by Alvar Aalto, opens after a long wait on January 4, 2025. The building has been under renovation since the beginning of 2022. For the first time in its history, the renovated Finlandia Hall will open not only to congress and event visitors but also to all city residents and travellers as a common, everyday leisure destination and experience venue.
“A completely new era is beginning in our story. Our history has been undeniably magnificent and successful, but modern times require new ways of thinking and operating models. During the renovation years, we have done bold and determined innovation and concept development work for our offerings to serve both our customers and Helsinki’s downtown area even better. The Finlandia Hall opening on Saturday is an entirely new kind of experience-based event center where everyone can experience something new and whose doors are open to everyone,” says Johanna Tolonen, CEO of Finlandia Hall Ltd.
Finlandia Hall’s annual visitor number has been approximately 200,000, and the future goal is to double the customer flow.
Services and Experiences Make the New Finlandia
Finlandia Meetings&Events: High-Quality Service and Cost-Effective Beauty
Versatile event and congress services remain the core of Finlandia Hall’s operations. The main building’s renovated meeting center has nearly twenty different spaces that combine modern comfort and design. The Finlandia Hall, Piazza, and other familiar magnificent event spaces and their furniture have been restored to their former glory, and they have been joined by a showroom specifically serving launch events or pop-up exhibitions.
State-of-the-art technology and a wide selection of renovated spaces enable high-quality events, concerts, congresses, celebrations, fairs, and meetings. One great example of this is the planned OSCE 50th anniversary celebration at Finlandia Hall in summer 2025, during Finland’s chairmanship period. Throughout the year, the halls will also be filled with various public events in diverse genres from ballet and musicals to pop, rock, and heavy metal concerts, not forgetting the Strauss concerts of the opening weekend.
“One of Finlandia Hall’s distinguishing factors as an event venue is its incomprehensible magnificence. It is already a destination in itself that doesn’t require a large decoration budget, thus being able to offer cost-effective beauty for events,” says Tolonen.
However, the renovated Finlandia Hall is much more than a single occasion or event: a guest coming for a concert, shareholders’ meeting, or afternoon coffee can also experience, if desired, an à la carte restaurant, an extensive art collection from the Helsinki City Art Museum, an engaging exhibition, or even the opportunity to stay overnight in this Alvar Aalto masterpiece.
“We have more services and experiences available than ever before, and they have been specifically designed to make event and meeting visitors’ visits experiential and comprehensive. A successful experience is further ensured by our own experienced and professionally renowned staff, whose service focuses on high customer satisfaction. For example, the house has its own kitchen, where dishes for all house events are created from snacks and pastries to cocktail services and dinner menus,” says Tolonen.
Finlandia Bistro: Finnish Flavors and Artisan Masterpieces
Finlandia Hall’s first à la carte restaurant, Finlandia Bistro, is a modern tribute to artisan work and Finnish ingredients, high-quality food and beverage products, and top-level service skills that ensure great experiences. The restaurant is led by Head Chef Mikko Puuronen, Chef Juho Lindström, and Restaurant Manager Mirva Heino. Puuronen has previously worked at Michelin-starred restaurants including Kadeau in Copenhagen, Kontrast in Oslo, Enoteca by Paco Pérez in Barcelona, and Chapter in Helsinki. The 64-seat Finlandia Bistro’s atmospheric milieu is created by Alvar Aalto’s unique architecture and design combined with Finlandia Hall’s original furniture and domestic art.
“We actively renew and update our menus according to seasons and ingredient growing periods, offering our customers genuinely responsible choices. Finnish flavors, foods, and ingredients are at the center of our work, but we draw inspiration from both Nordic and Italian, French, and Spanish cuisines. Just as Alvar Aalto was inspired by Italy! For us, all Finnish food is local food, and we want to be part of strengthening Finnish food, restaurant, and service culture,” says Puuronen.
The restaurant opens on Friday, January 17, 2025. The bistro serves dinner from Thursday to Saturday and is available for private events at other times. Table reservations can be made on the Finlandia Hall website.
- Head Chef: Mikko Puuronen
- Restaurant Manager: Mirva Heino
- Chef: Juho Lindström
- Opens: Fri January 17, 2025
- Hours: Thu 5 PM-11 PM, Fri 5 PM-12 AM, Sat 3 PM-12 AM
- Seating: dinner 64 seats, lounge groups 11 seats, bar counter 5 seats (total 80)
Finlandia Cafe&Wine: Above the Everyday on a New Viewing Terrace
Finlandia Hall’s new wine café serves seasonally changing high-quality café products and spectacular views. On the terrace, opened to the public for the first time, you can stop year-round to admire Helsinki center’s most beautiful views of Töölönlahti. Some of the café’s seats are restored, over 50-year-old chairs designed by Alvar Aalto, which have been in Finlandia Hall since its opening.
The café, led by Head Chef Mikko Puuronen and Café Manager Riikka Kanninen, offers delicious savory and sweet pastries, warm dishes and salads, and carefully selected wines and refreshments. The café’s signature delicacies are the Finlandia pastry and Alvar sparkling wine. On the terrace, customers are entertained by sculptor Kimmo Schroderus‘s five-meter and 500-kilogram sculpture “Entertainer’s Day Off.” The café opens on Saturday, January 4, 2025, and serves from Monday to Saturday.
- Head Chef: Mikko Puuronen
- Café Manager: Riikka Kanninen
- Opens: Sat January 4, 2025
- Winter and spring hours: Mon-Fri 9 AM-6 PM, Sat 11 AM-6 PM, Sun closed. On concert days, serves at least until the concert begins.
- Seating: 100, plus 100 seats on the terrace in summer
Finlandia Shop: Hand-picked Treasures and Unique Souvenirs
A design shop specializing in Finnish design opens next to the café, offering products from small Finnish design brands, unique Finlandia Collection products, timeless classics, products from Arabia art department’s ceramic artists, contemporary design utility items, and of course Aalto products to take home.
The product selection has been curated by Finlandia Experience Project Manager Annikka Alanko and CEO Johanna Tolonen in collaboration with Mirkku Kullberg and the Alvar Aalto Foundation. The visual design of the Finlandia Collection products is created by graphic designer Ilkka Kärkkäinen.
The nearly 300-square-meter design shop is located in Finlandia Hall’s north end, next to the café right by the main lobby. The shop opens on Saturday, January 4, 2025, and serves Monday to Saturday according to the café’s opening hours.
- Opens: Sat January 4, 2025
- Winter and Spring hours: Mon-Fri 9 AM-6 PM, Sat 11 AM-6 PM, Sun closed. On concert days, serves at least until the concert begins.
- Area: nearly 300 square meters
Finlandia Homes: Historically Unique Accommodation
Finlandia Hall’s new accommodation facilities offer a globally unique opportunity to experience Finnish design and architecture up close, and stay overnight in a concert and conference venue. These two apartments, originally designed by Alvar Aalto as staff residences and now carefully restored, embody functional aesthetics and authentic Finnish home atmosphere, and are now opened for the first time as bookable accommodation. The apartments are decorated respecting Aalto’s style and furnished with both modern classics and the building’s original furniture, making them a perfect choice for design and cultural heritage admirers.
Both apartments have separate entrances opposite Hesperianpuisto. The protected apartments are unfortunately not accessible. Breakfast is not included in the price, but various breakfast options are available daily at the wine café. Parking is available in Aimo Park under Finlandia Hall. The apartments can be booked through Finlandia Hall’s website.
Both apartments’ amenities:
- Small refrigerator
- Microwave
- Cooking plate
- Glasses, plates, and cutlery for four
- Water kettle and French press, coffee and tea
Aino
- Size 57 m²
- For 4 people
- Starting from €390 per night
The 57-square-meter Aino apartment suitable for four people offers a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere with its blue color scheme. Located near Töölönlahti, the more spacious apartment reflects Aino Aalto’s serene and elegant style. Finnish design, Artek lighting, and original furniture create perfect conditions for relaxation. The Aino apartment has a separate bedroom and a sofa bed in the living room. Apartment prices start from 390 euros per night.
Elissa
- Size 45 m²
- For 4 people
- Starting from €350 per night
The 45-square-meter Elissa apartment represents strong and bold design, where fiery glowing colors blaze, such as the living room’s powerful red. Located near Mannerheimintie, the apartment exudes energy and vitality. Elissa features a double bed in an alcove and a sofa bed. Apartment prices start from 350 euros per night.
Finlandia Experience Exhibition: To the Roots of the Aaltos
A permanent exhibition opening in Finlandia Hall in June 2025 will tell experientially about both Finnish identity and the life’s work and creative sources of Alvar, Aino, and Elissa Aalto. The exhibition offers an opportunity to deeply familiarize oneself with Alvar Aalto’s legacy and design principles. The exhibition also provides an opportunity for one’s own creative experiments inspired by Alvar, Aino, and Elissa.
The exhibition, opening in a 1,300-square-meter space that previously served as a rehearsal space for symphony orchestras among other uses, has been designed by Taina Väisänen from Takt Oy and scripted by Kirsti Manninen.
The exhibition will be divided into five different experiential spaces. First, the visitor enters the Prelude. The space plays a new arrangement of the Finlandia Hymn with a fresh recording by the Sibelius High School Chamber Choir. The Prelude gives visitors an auditory overview of the exhibition’s narrative.
The Prelude is followed by four other spaces: Healing Light, Land of Forests, Together, and MyAalto.
“The exhibition is strongly based on experientiality. Finlandia Hall is not a museum but a living event venue. Therefore, the exhibition also tells a vivid story about people, the house, and the world around it,” says Finlandia Experience Project Manager Annikka Alanko.
More about the exhibition will be announced later in Spring 2025.
Opening Month Program and Events
Finlandia Hall will celebrate the opening month throughout January with various programs. All house services will also enjoy different opening offers.
Jan 4 Strauss 25th Anniversary Concert
Jan 6 Strauss 25th Anniversary Concert
Jan 11 Tale of the Fells Film Concert
Jan 17-18 Finlandia Bistro Opening Weekend
Jan 17-18 Arja Saijonmaa: 55 years with the music of Mikis Theodorakis
Jan 25 Open House at Finlandia Hall
Jan 25-26 Apocalyptica plays Metallica Vol. 2
Finlandia Hall Open House Day January 25, 2025
On Saturday, January 25, 2025, Finlandia Hall will host an open house day, where everyone is welcome to enjoy, experience, learn and engage in discussions in Finlandia Hall’s renovated and renewed spaces, as well as explore the new services.
For children, there will be a trivia trail, an obstacle course, and musical performances. For adults, there will be interesting lectures and discussions that will explore the building’s history and its iconic features. Under the guidance of Aalto Foundation guides, there is also an opportunity to participate in a building tour and get to know more about the secrets of Finlandia Hall and the improvements brought by the renovation. All program items are free of charge.
Program for Children 10:30 AM–2:00 PM
- Trivia trail and obstacle course, with a piece of Finlandia Hall marble as a prize
- Duo Päistikka – Children’s music orchestra leads dancing and singing at the Piazza
Discussion Events 12:00 PM–3:00 PM
- 12:00 PM–1:00 PM Finlandia Hall, Helsinki’s Iconic Landmark
Professor Laura Kolbe opens the discussion, where we invite the audience to participate by sharing their own memories and experiences of Finlandia Hall.
- 2:00 PM–3:00 PM I Love the Human in You
Participants: Heikki Aalto-Alanen, Virpi Suutari, and Kirsti Manninen
“How do Heikki Aalto-Alanen’s book about his grandparents, Virpi Suutari’s Aalto documentary, and the upcoming Finlandia Hall exhibition find and support each other?”
Guided Tours
- Three departures at 11:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 4:00 PM
- In cooperation with the Alvar Aalto Foundation
- Registration one hour before the tour at Finlandia Hall’s service desk
- Each tour can accommodate the first 30 registered participants
Read more about Finlandia Hall’s opening year events: finlandiatalo.fi/en
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Finlandia Hall
Johanna Tolonen
CEO
040 551 3168
johanna.tolonen@finlandiatalo.fi
Finlandia Hall Services
Riitta Kilo
Business Director
040 555 2444
Restaurant and wine café
Mikko Puuronen
Head Chef
040 4856877
mikko.puuronen@finlanditatalo.fi
MEDIA KIT
tinyurl.com/finlandiatalo
The photos in the media kit are freely available for use, but the photographer’s name must be credited when published.
Finlandia Hall
Finlandia Hall is the world’s leading place for congresses, events, and culture, located in the heart of Helsinki. The house uniquely combines architecture, design, functionality, and atmosphere. The new Finlandia Hall opens to the public on January 4, 2025. In addition to event operations, the building’s north end will open for the first time with accommodation possibilities, new restaurant concepts, a design shop, and a permanent exhibition that opens in June 2025. Until the end of 2025, Finlandia Hall will also serve its customers in the unique wooden event center Little Finlandia, whose inviting café and terrace area in beautiful natural surroundings has become a living room for city residents and a favorite destination for travellers.
Finlandia Hall
Mannerheimintie 13e
00100 Helsinki
Photo: Ville Heiskanen Inspiroiva Creative