Free things to do in Helsinki

25 places in Helsinki with free entry or no charge, based on guide listings and map data.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

SeeCentral
Ateneum Art Museum
Ateneum can be considered the most nationally significant art museum, and it has the largest collection of paintings and sculptures in Finland. Particularly notable is the collection of works by major Finnish artists. Works include renowned interpretations of the national epic Kalevala.
Tue–Fri 09:00–18:00, Wed Thu 09:00–20:00, Sat Sun 11:00–17:00, closed on MondaysAdults €6, under 18 free, special prices may apply during major exhibitions. First Wednesday of the month 17:00–20:00 free admission
SeeInner East
Church of Kallio
Kallion kirkko/Berghälls kyrka
On top of the hill at the end of Siltasaarenkatu. The church is built of grey granite (1912) and its massive looks dominate the view from Hakaniemi. It was designed by Finnish architect Lars Sonck. The church has both baroque and French romantic organs and concerts are organized frequently. The bells ring at noon and 19:00 with a tune composed by Jean Sibelius.
Tue-Fri 12:00-18:00, Sat Sun 10:00-18:00Free
SeeWest
Finlandia Hall
Designed by Finland's best known architect Alvar Aalto. It is across the street from the National Museum. The marble Finlandia Hall is a popular congress and concert venue in Helsinki. The building itself is worth a visit particularly for architecture buffs, with guided tours available (€6/4, check website for schedule). Be sure to view the building also from across the Töölönlahti bay in the evening when it is floodlit.
Mon–Fri 09:00–16:00Free
DoNorthern suburbs
Haltiala Farm
Haltialan kotieläintila
A kind of a zoo with farm animals in a real countryside environment. The Haltiala farm has many domestic animals such as cows, sheep, pigs and chickens. They are outdoors from summer to autumn, allowing them to be seen in the courtyard from morning to night. For the rest of the year, the animals are indoors. Occasionally country music concerts are held at Haltiala.
free
SeeKruununhaka and Katajanokka
Helsinki City Museum
The museum covers a whole series of old buildings around Helsinki, but the centrepiece is the (short) street of Sofiankatu itself, carefully restored as a replica of the 1930s.
Free
Do
Helsinki Pride
Finland's biggest and most famous LGBT pride event. Held over a week in late June, culminates in a parade and open-air party on Saturday.
Parade 13:00–14:00, party 14:00–18:00Free of charge
Do
Helsinki Samba Carnaval
The biggest samba show in Finland, inspired by the famous Rio de Janeiro Carnaval in Brazil. Held on a Saturday in early June. A great samba parade fills the streets of central Helsinki, with dancers and music players from practically every samba school in Finland.
15:00–17:00Free
DoInner East
Kallio Kukkii
A cultural summer festival held in the bohemian district of Kallio not very far from the city centre. Held over a week in middle May. Various art galleries, workshops and street art performances. Culminates in a samba parade on Sunday, held by Império do Papagaio as their final practice before the main Samba Carnaval in the city centre.
Parade at 13:00-14:00Free of charge
SeeCentral
Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art
The sometimes unusual collections mostly include works by contemporary Finnish artists and artists from nearby countries. There are also periodical exhibitions. The building is a work of art.
Tue 10:00–17:00, Wed–Sun 10:00–20:30, closed on Mondays€7 for adults, €5 for undergraduate students, senior citizens, visual artists, and groups with at least 7 people. Free admission for visitors under 18. First Friday of the month is free
DoEastern suburbs
Kontufestari
Yearly music festival in Kontula with performances by Finnish 1980s rock artists and hip hop crews from Eastern Helsinki among others.
free
Do
Lautapelaamaan
Finland's biggest board game event, hosted by the Finnish Board Game Society. Held on a weekend in early November. A whole hall at the Helsinki Cable Factory is available to play board games for the entire weekend, from Friday evening to Sunday evening (the event closes for the nights though). Hundreds of board games available provided by the organisers (to borrow a game to play, you must leave something valuable as a pawn token, such as your phone or wallet). You can also bring your own board games to play. Suitable for people of all ages, both adults and children.
10:00-18:00 mostlyFree of charge
DrinkInner East
Lepakkomies
The name translates to "bat-man" but the place is hardly themed after Batman, instead after bats in general. A large establishment in two floors, the ground floor functioning as your average Kallio pub, the basement as a venue for club nights.
Open now · closes 2 am tomorrowFree entry to bar, but entrance fee for club nights. Beer starting from €4
DoInner East
Linnanmäki
The oldest amusement park in Finland, famous for its wooden roller coaster. Entrance to the park is free of charge, all-day passes €42. Open only during the summer, however the adjacent Sea Life aquarium and the Peacock theatre (not a traditional theatre but rather a venue for musicals and slightly Las Vegas-like shows) at Tivolikuja 1 is open throughout the year. In middle October, the amusement park holds a week-long closing ceremony where just about everything, particularly the rides, is illuminated with colourful lighting. The ceremony holds live music events in late evening and there is a fireworks show at the very end just before the park closes down for the winter.
DoNorthern suburbs
Malminkartanonhuippu
With a height of about 90 m, this is the highest point in Helsinki and when you've climbed the 426 stairs to the top you're rewarded with a nice view in all directions. In winter this is a great place for sledding. The hill itself is actually an old landfill and consists mostly of building material which has given the hill nicknames such as the dump hill or filling hill! Can be accessed from two directions, either from the east (Naapuripellontie) or from Paperitie (west), which is within a walking distance (0.8 km) of Uusmäki bus stop, Espoo.
free
SeeWest
National Museum of Finland
Kansallismuseo
A beautiful classical building houses this old museum, which has been renovated. The exhibit includes displays of artefacts and items relating to Finland's history. Closed until spring 2027.
Tue-Wed 11:00-20:00, Thu-Sun 11:00-18:00, Closed Mon€16/11 adult/child. Free admission for visitors under 18. Tuesday has free admission 17:30–20:00
SeeSouth
Newspaper museum
Päivälehden museo
In the newspaper museum you can learn more about the history of newspapers - journalism and printing.
Tue-Sun 11:00-17:00Free
SeeSouth
Sinebrychoff Museum
Promotes itself as the only museum in Finland specializing in old European art. Located in a stately house commissioned in 1842 by Nikolai Sinebrychoff, the founder of the Sinebrychoff brewery. Nikolai Sinebrychoff never lived in the house, preferring instead to live in Viapori (now known as Suomenlinna), but his brother's family lived there for several years. The upper floor of the building hosts the Sinebrychoff house museum with plenty of 19th-century paintings on display.
Tue, Fri 10:00–18:00, Wed, Thu 10:00–20:00, Sat-Sun 10:00–17:00€20 for the whole collection, free entry for house museum and permanent exhibition only
SeeSouth
St. John's Church
Johanneksenkirkko
The largest church in Helsinki and a fine example of Gothic Revival architecture.
Mon-Fri 12:00-15:00Free.
SeeKruununhaka and Katajanokka
The National Library of Finland
Kansalliskirjasto
The beautiful National Library has books all the way from the early 19th century accessible for everyone (and books older than this are kept away from the public). The picturesque building with its glamorous stone columns is definitely worth a visit.
09:00-17:00/09:00-18:00free of charge
SeeKruununhaka and Katajanokka
Uspenski Cathedral
Uspenskin katedraali
A classical and prominent onion-domed Russian church, the largest Orthodox church in Western Europe, Uspenski Cathedral serves Finland's small Orthodox minority. The name comes from the Russian uspenie, from the Dormition (death) of the Virgin Mary. The five domes are topped with 22-carat gold, and some of the icons within are held to be miraculous.
Tue-Fri 09:30-16:00, Sat 09:30-14:00, Sun 12:00-15:00. May-Sep Mon Wed Sat 09:30-16:00, Tue 09:30-18:00, Sun 12:00-15:00Free
DoEastern suburbs
Vuosaarenhuippu Hill Hiking Trails
Vuosaarenhuippu
Plenty of routes for hikers of all levels, from easy-to-walk service roads to rocky little paths.
Open now · open 24 hoursfree
SeeWest
Winter Garden
Talvipuutarha
Tropical garden where you can see palms, cacti and flowers around the year. In the summer a nice café operates in the garden.
Tue 09:00-15:00, Wed-Fri 12:00-15:00, Sat Sun 12:00-16:00free
SeeInner East
Worker Housing Museum
Työväenasuntomuseo
Built for the city's employees and their families in the early 20th century, nowadays the house is a museum where every room is a snapshot of the inhabitants' everyday life during different decades from the 1920s to the 1980s. Visits by guided tours which are free, start about every 15-20 minutes depending on how many visitors have arrived, and are conducted in Finnish, English (whenever foreign travellers show up) and possibly other languages too.
June to late October: Wed-Sun 11:00-17:00Free
Do Not mapped
Lux Helsinki
Beginning of January. Lux Helsinki is an annual event of light installations to cheer residents' and visitors' minds during the darkest time of the year. They are on display over several nights. Lux Helsinki can also be enjoyed as part of a guided walking tour.
Closed · opens 5 pm tomorrowFree of charge
SeeKruununhaka and Katajanokka
Bank of Finland Museum
A museum about money and banking, as the name reveals.
Tue-Fri 11:00-17:00, Sat Sun 11:00-16:00free

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Helsinki (CC BY-SA 4.0).