Museums with Children in Helsinki

Museum experiences in Helsinki and the surrounding area

For those looking for indoor activities and on rainy days, many museums in Helsinki and the surrounding area are wonderful places to spend time and experience something new. In many museums, young museum-goers are well accommodated, and for example, strollers and prams are allowed in the exhibitions. Several museums also have a very functional baby care room and a space for eating snacks.

Please note that on Mondays, many museums are closed! Of the MUSEUMS in Helsinki, the following are open on Mondays: Museum Merkki, Helsinki City Museum and Children’s Town, Tram Museum, TAHTO, and Amos Rex, as well as during the summer season, the Natural History Museum and Museum Leikki in Espoo (between June 22 and August 11, 2026).

Article published in 2022, updated July 22, 2026

Amos Rex

Amos Rex , located under the Lasipalatsi plaza, warmly welcomes children as visitors. Interactive ways to explore the museum are designed for many exhibitions, but before your visit, it is worth checking if the current exhibition is suitable for children. Amos Rex also offers Ou cuddle buddies for little ones to take into the exhibition. Pienten Helsinki’s background team also recommends an adventure on the hills of the museum’s courtyard, especially in the summer! Museum admission fee, under 18s free of charge.

Accessible entrance from the Lasipalatsi plaza side. Amos Rex is open on Mondays, but closed on Tuesdays.

Amos Rex’s roof extends onto the Lasipalatsi plaza.

Design Museum

Design Museum on Korkeavuorenkatu also welcomes little ones to discover design and explore the museum housed in a former school building. The museum organizes rotating family design workshops mainly on weekends and during holiday seasons. There is also an option to host children’s birthday parties. Museum admission fee, ages 2–17 €2.

Escape to Moominvalley exhibition at the Design Museum from October 10, 2025, to September 27, 2026. The exhibition is partially interactive and ideal for experiencing with children.

Accessible entrance via the museum’s back door.

Escape to Moominvalley exhibition at the Design Museum from October 10, 2025, to September 27, 2026

Helsinki City Museum and Children’s Town

Helsinki City Museum and its Children’s Town by Senate Square are always a sure choice for a museum visit with little ones. Here, you play with history! Always free admission.

A covered stroller parking spot can be found next to the main entrance. Children’s Town is set in one of Helsinki’s oldest buildings, so space for strollers inside is very limited. Otherwise, the museum is easy to navigate with a stroller. The City Museum lobby is an open living room for city residents, where you can take a breather or eat snacks. In the Children’s Town section, there is also a designated area for eating and heating up your own food. Children’s Town often gets quite warm on hot summer days.

Hotel and Restaurant Museum

Hotel and Restaurant Museum at Cable Factory is also a great museum destination for children. From time to time, there are interactive exhibitions specifically tailored for children. Hosting children’s birthday parties is also possible. Museum admission fee, under 18s free of charge. Joint tickets are available for both the Hotel and Restaurant Museum and the Theater Museum.

Kaisaniemi Botanic Garden

Kaisaniemi Botanic Garden enchants in all seasons. Admission fee, under 7s free of charge. Free entry to the outdoor garden.

Navigating the historic greenhouses with a stroller is challenging, so bringing a baby carrier is recommended for the youngest visitors. Prams and strollers can be left near the coat racks. Leaving jackets and beanies at the coat rack is a good idea too, as it is tropical and warm inside! Enjoying snacks in the lovely outdoor garden or in the glass pavilion is a delightful experience, especially in the summer season, making a simple picnic trip to Kaisaniemi a wonderful idea (the outdoor garden always has free admission). Cafe Viola also operates on-site, serving lunch.

It’s summer time at Kaisaniemi Botanic Garden!

The National Museum of Finland

The National Museum closed its doors on October 15, 2023, for over three years due to renovation and an annex construction project. The museum will reopen to the public in spring 2027.

At The National Museum , you can marvel at Finnish history, royal splendor, and ponder what life was like in the old days. The “Story of Finland” exhibition works very well with children. In October 2022, “Time for Play,” a space featuring various interactive stations for children, opened on the 3rd floor (in the former Attic premises). It includes familiar elements from the original Attic, such as the large wooden horse and a log house to build. Museum admission fee, under 18s free of charge.

Accessible entrance at the base of the museum tower, under the main entrance stairs. Stroller storage is available on the ground floor, where you will also find a baby care room. The museum’s elevator is relatively small and slow, but a small double stroller just barely fits inside.

Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma

Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma occasionally features exhibitions that are wonderfully suited for children, but it’s worth checking in advance, as not all exhibitions at Kiasma are suitable for young museum visitors. Museum admission fee, under 18s free of charge.

Easy to move around with a stroller, excellent stroller parking under the stairs in the entrance lobby, and child-friendly staff. Strollers available to borrow and a practical baby care room on the 1st floor. A special mention goes to Kiasma’s cafe, which reserves tables for visitors with strollers and offers table service.

Kindergarten Museum

At the Kindergarten Museum , playtime takes place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 12 pm to 7 pm. Admission fee, under 18s free of charge. The Kindergarten Museum is closed from Midsummer to August, as well as during the Christmas season.

A covered storage space for strollers is provided in the museum’s courtyard.

Espoo: Museum Leikki

Museum Leikki in Tapiola, Espoo, true to its name (Leikki = Play), offers a journey through time into the world of play and toys. The museum isn’t huge, but alongside items in display cases, there are various interactive play areas and opportunities to play. Museum admission fee, under 2s free of charge.

You can play at Museum Leikki in Tapiola, Espoo!

Natural History Museum

Natural History Museum is an absolute must-visit museum with children in Helsinki. The museum organizes workshops and various events during holiday seasons and occasionally on weekends. The exhibitions feature plenty to see and interact with. Museum admission fee, under 7s free of charge.

Accessible entrance located on the left side of the building when viewed from Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu; stroller storage is available in the museum yard and on the first floor. If needed, strollers are also allowed inside the exhibition area.

Museum and Archives of Media Merkki

Museum and Archives of Media Merkki (formerly the Day Media Museum / Päivälehden museo) on Ludviginkatu is an easy, always-free museum spot to pop into with children. Merkki is mainly open daily from 11 am to 5 pm, subject to exceptional opening hours.

For children, the museum offers a small corner built around Helsingin Sanomat’s Children’s News (Lasten uutiset) and various media icons. Donald Duck, Finnish children’s book classics, and Donald Duck’s car are also featured. The museum hosts changing, high-quality exhibitions that are often geared toward children.

Merkki is a nice pit stop during a day out in the city. Its good location, bright and clear spaces, and welcoming attitude toward children are all great reasons to recommend it. Downstairs, you can still find the printing cellar with its vintage printing presses.

Merkki is located at the corner of Ludviginkatu and Korkeavuorenkatu. The museum has an accessible entrance, a baby care room, and staff who warmly welcome young visitors.

Puss in Boots – The Greatest Fairy Tale Adventure of All Time at Museum Merkki from May 8 to December 30, 2026.

Tram Museum

Tram Museum , tucked beside the Töölö tram depots, takes visitors on a journey through Helsinki’s history every day from 11 am to 5 pm. On display are trams from different decades and other tram-related materials. The Tram Museum reopened after a long renovation break in March 2022. Always free admission.

Accessible entrance and smooth navigation with a stroller.

Seurasaari

Seurasaari Open-Air Museum is open during the summer season. Entry to Seurasaari island is free (the island features a beach, grilling spot, beautiful shores, and nature), with a museum ticket required only to visit the historic museum houses. Even without visiting the museum buildings, Seurasaari makes a fantastic outdoor destination year-round! Admission fee for museum houses, under 18s free of charge.

Karuna Church is one of the museum buildings in Seurasaari.

Suomenlinna Museums

Suomenlinna features five museums. Two of them, the Military Museum and the Suomenlinna Museum, are open year-round, including on Mondays. The Ehrensvärd Museum, Submarine Vesikko, and the Customs Museum are open in the summer.

Submarine Vesikko in Suomenlinna operates as a museum.

TAHTO - Sports Museum

Located at the Olympic Stadium, TAHTO - Sports Museum showcases the history and achievements of Finnish sports. The museum also features several interactive activity stations suitable for children, along with many interesting items from the history of elite Finnish sports. TAHTO is open on Mondays as well. The museum is mostly accessible. Museum admission fee, under 7s free of charge.

Sports Museum TAHTO is located at the Olympic Stadium.

Tamminiemi

Tamminiemi in Meilahti, right next door to Seurasaari, is the former home of Finnish presidents and is now a house museum. It might not be the first place that comes to mind when considering a museum trip with kids, but it’s definitely worth a visit—especially in summertime, when the Tamminiemi yard and the nearby ice cream kiosk are big hits! Museum admission fee, under 7s free of charge.

Tamminiemi is not accessible, meaning strollers cannot be used inside.

At Tamminiemi, Urho and Sylvi’s swimming pool was a highlight for the kids.

Theater Museum

Theater Museum at Cable Factory offers plenty of activities and experiences for children. Hosting children’s birthday parties is also possible. Museum admission fee, under 3s free of charge. Joint tickets are available for both the Hotel and Restaurant Museum and the Theater Museum.

An accessible entrance and a spacious elevator lead into the museum.

Museum of Technology

Museum of Technology in Vanhankaupunginlahti is another great museum destination for children, especially those of school age. It features themed days and exhibitions built with a children’s perspective in mind, and the surrounding area with its rushing rapids is equally fascinating. Hosting children’s birthday parties is possible. Museum admission fee, under 7s free of charge.

Exhibition spaces are not fully accessible throughout.

Espoo: Exhibition Centre WeeGee

WeeGee Exhibition Centre in Espoo offers diverse museum experiences for all ages. EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art, KAMU Espoo City Museum, the Mauri Kunnas exhibition, and the Futuro House (open in summer) invite you on an adventure. The Mauri Kunnas exhibition and KAMU Espoo City Museum are particular favorites among children. With a single ticket, you can visit all the museums within the exhibition center. Museum admission fee, under 18s free of charge.

The venue is accessible, and elevators connect the different floors.