Day 2 in Helsinki, Finland
By Erin Coonfer
“November was misty and damp, but, on the night of the last Thursday of the month, the city’s undulating tin roofs had been coated in a thin veil of white lace. An icy wind blowing in from the sea raised waves, and foam gathered at the shoreline. Very early in the morning, a body dressed in light-colored clothing had been found washed up on the shore by Kaivopuisto Park…”
I glanced up from the passport-sized booklet in my hands, shocked to see the golden hair and pale face of a wraith-like woman eerily sprawled on the floor in front of me. After doing a double-take, I realized she was just a haunting projection, part of the art installation called Helsinki Noir at the Amos Anderson Art Museum in Helsinki.
In this installation, the viewer becomes the investigator, following clues in both the museum-provided booklet (translated in Finnish, Swedish, and English) and the paintings hung in intimate rooms that correspond to each chapter of the mystery.
By the end of the exhibit, I felt like I was part of a Sherlock-Holmes-esque investigation, and I left the museum feeling actually engaged with dynamic art instead of jaded by a typical art museum atmosphere. It was refreshing and an excellent way to start my own rather misty and damp day.
According to holiday-weather.com, Helsinki has an average of 15 rainy days in July, so I came prepared with a raincoat and an extensive museum itinerary to explore. Unlike at the beach, a rainy day definitely does not put a damper on a trip to Helsinki! There are still tons of locations to explore and stay dry
Most museums are within walking distance of each other, and it is pretty easy to split visits between art museums like the Amos Anderson Art Museum, history museums like the National Museum of Finland, or quirky installations like the Museum of Broken Relationships.
If you are coming to Helsinki and want to explore exhibits like Helsinki Noir, I would recommend picking up a Helsinki Card. A 3-day Helsinki card costs 61€ for an adult, and it provides access to public transportation, free museum entry, and many other discounts and benefits. Although many attractions are within walking-distance from most Helsinki hotels, the transportation is very helpful when trying to fit multiple excursions in one day. Even in the rain, it’s easy to have an exciting adventure in Helsinki!
Below are links to some of the museums I visited, and I would recommend all of them to you!
By Erin Coonfer
“November was misty and damp, but, on the night of the last Thursday of the month, the city’s undulating tin roofs had been coated in a thin veil of white lace. An icy wind blowing in from the sea raised waves, and foam gathered at the shoreline. Very early in the morning, a body dressed in light-colored clothing had been found washed up on the shore by Kaivopuisto Park…”
I glanced up from the passport-sized booklet in my hands, shocked to see the golden hair and pale face of a wraith-like woman eerily sprawled on the floor in front of me. After doing a double-take, I realized she was just a haunting projection, part of the art installation called Helsinki Noir at the Amos Anderson Art Museum in Helsinki.
In this installation, the viewer becomes the investigator, following clues in both the museum-provided booklet (translated in Finnish, Swedish, and English) and the paintings hung in intimate rooms that correspond to each chapter of the mystery.
By the end of the exhibit, I felt like I was part of a Sherlock-Holmes-esque investigation, and I left the museum feeling actually engaged with dynamic art instead of jaded by a typical art museum atmosphere. It was refreshing and an excellent way to start my own rather misty and damp day.
According to holiday-weather.com, Helsinki has an average of 15 rainy days in July, so I came prepared with a raincoat and an extensive museum itinerary to explore. Unlike at the beach, a rainy day definitely does not put a damper on a trip to Helsinki! There are still tons of locations to explore and stay dry
Most museums are within walking distance of each other, and it is pretty easy to split visits between art museums like the Amos Anderson Art Museum, history museums like the National Museum of Finland, or quirky installations like the Museum of Broken Relationships.
If you are coming to Helsinki and want to explore exhibits like Helsinki Noir, I would recommend picking up a Helsinki Card. A 3-day Helsinki card costs 61€ for an adult, and it provides access to public transportation, free museum entry, and many other discounts and benefits. Although many attractions are within walking-distance from most Helsinki hotels, the transportation is very helpful when trying to fit multiple excursions in one day. Even in the rain, it’s easy to have an exciting adventure in Helsinki!
Below are links to some of the museums I visited, and I would recommend all of them to you!