Many of the museums in Helsinki have a certain time per month where you can gain entrance to them for free, and parts of the Helsinki City Museum are always free. I haven’t been to quite all of these, but I have enjoyed most of them – and look forward to visit the rest on a suitable rainy day. Hopefully this list of museums will help travellers, expats and locals on a budget with what to do on a rainy day!
PS Please note that this is by no means a full list on museums, it is just a list of museums I thought of. And please check open hours and entrance fees on museum websites that I have linked to, they are bound to change anyway.
Burgher’s House the oldest wooden building standing in its original place in inner-city Helsinki. It was built, at the latest, in 1818. Free entry but not often open.
Children’s town, Sederholm House: free.
Hakasalmi Villa: free photo exhibition from Helsinki in the 50’s
- Tennispalatsi: Free admission on the first Friday of the month 11-19
- Kluuvin galleria: free
Kaisaniemi Botanic Garden: always free entrance to the outdoor garden. Free entrance to the greenhouses on the first Thursday of the month in the afternoon but the time varies, please check their website.
Museum of Finnish Architecture: Free entry on 1st Friday of the month
Kiasma: Free admission on the first Friday of the month 5 pm–8.30 pm.
Museums of Technology: on Thursdays the basic exhibition is open until 8 p.m., and free entrance
- Wintertime on the first Thursday of the month at 16-18 free entrance
- Summertime on the first Thursday of the month at 15-17 free entrance
Päivälehti Museum (about Finnish Journalism and the biggest News Paper Helsingin Sanomat): free
Sinebrychoff Art Museum: Free admission on the first Wednesday of the month at 5–8 pm
Seurasaari Open Air Museum will cost you if you want in but looking around is free – something we like to do on this island. Suomenlinna fort grounds are also free to walk around on but there are several museums in Suomenlinna that will have separate entrance fees.
The National Museum of Finland Free admission on Friday from 4 p.m. till 6 p.m.
Tram museum free
Vallila Allotment Garden Museum: free but only open for a couple of hours on Sundays in the summertime or per appointment.
Worker Housing Museum in Alppila: free
Helsinki Card will give you free admission to the most museums and free public transport, so it may be worth while if you are going to do some serious sightseeing in Helsinki. Find the museum guide for Uusimaa (includes Helsinki, this is the whole region) with links to all museum websites here
Most museums are closed on Mondays, and some of the smaller ones have very restricted open hours anyway so you may want to check them before planning your day.
Free But Fun 
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I agree! And many if these are great for kids too, my boy loves trams, botanic gardens are always good, Tuomarinkylä Manor Museum and the National Museum have their parts that are cool for kids too etc. but at least toddlers are too small even to be expected to stay in for long. Even better, most of them have nice cafés too 😉
I love a free museum, especially if it’s kid-friendly. Of course, I understand that it all costs money and I have paid entrance fees plenty of times, but when you’re with kids it’s nice to have the pressure off in terms of getting your money’s worth in case things don’t go as planned and you have to leave earlier than expected.
Always good for those rainy days!