Military Museum of Finland, Helsinki

Military Museum of Finland, Helsinki

The Military Museum of Finland is also known as Sotamuseo is an archive of military history in Finland since the 1600s. The building that houses the museum was built in 1883. The place opened in this location in 1929 and formally was dedicated in 1933. That was not especially good timing as the museum was closed in 1939 when the winter war started. The museum remained closed during WWII and finally reopened again in 1948.

During the time that the museum was closed the artifacts were moved out of the museum and stored in various locations around Finland. Exhibits did occur and the funds were used to help veterans who were severely injured in the war, as well as their loved ones.

The majority of the exhibits involve artifacts from the Winter War and WWII. Exhibits include weapons and uniforms from this time period as well as medals, insignias’, flags and other memorabilia. Films and pictures serve to bring that period of time to life. The museum has almost 250,000 items although not all of them are on display at one time.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Helsinki. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Military Museum of Finland on Map

Sight Name: Military Museum of Finland
Sight Location: Helsinki, Finland (See walking tours in Helsinki)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery

Walking Tours in Helsinki, Finland

Create Your Own Walk in Helsinki

Create Your Own Walk in Helsinki

Creating your own self-guided walk in Helsinki is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Helsinki's Architectural Jewels

Helsinki's Architectural Jewels

Typified by Nordic minimalism and refinement, the architecture of Helsinki is shaped primarily by the early neoclassical style and a regional form of Art Nouveau called Jugendstil. Still, it is the later work by modernist architect, Alvar Aalto, as well as the thriving contemporary designs deeply rooted in nature and local craft that give Helsinki, as well as Finland in general, their current...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.9 Km or 1.2 Miles
Seurasaari Island Walking Tour

Seurasaari Island Walking Tour

Seurasaari Island in Helsinki is best known as the home to the popular open-air museum. This venue offers a glimpse into the life of Finland's countryside in various epochs, showcasing old, mainly wooden houses, some of which – once lived in by famous people in Finnish history – were transplanted to the island and thus became part of the museum.

Among the notable attractions here are...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.6 Km or 1 Miles
Helsinki's Historical Churches

Helsinki's Historical Churches

Because of Finland's former affiliations with neighboring Sweden and Russia, it's no wonder that the religious tapestry of Helsinki is dominated by Lutheran and Orthodox churches. Nonetheless, there are also some beautiful architectural expressions of other Christian denominations like Anglican and Catholic to be found in the city, each holding a special place in its religious narrative....  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.0 Km or 1.9 Miles
Helsinki Introduction Walking Tour

Helsinki Introduction Walking Tour

Helsinki was created as a trading town by Swedish King Gustav I in 1550, but it is believed that Swedish settlers had arrived here in the 1300s. Sometimes called the “Daughter of the Baltic,” Helsinki is a port town through and through. Its close connection to its Baltic neighbors, Sweden and Russia, has shaped its history for better and worse over the last 400 years. Both Finnish and Swedish...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles
Finnish Souvenir Shopping Tour

Finnish Souvenir Shopping Tour

When in Helsinki, souvenir shopping can be an exciting adventure allowing you to bring home a memorable piece of Finland worth having in your household. Depending on your inclinations, these could include sauna bucket and ladle, traditional Finnish music instruments, hand-woven long-tufted rugs (ryija), Finnish vodka made from Arctic-grown berries, or something else.

Those in the know can give...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.0 Km or 1.2 Miles

Useful Travel Guides for Planning Your Trip


16 Distinctively Finnish Things to Buy in Helsinki

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