History

• Turku Art Museum

Visible from the Turku Market Square, the impressive National Romantic granite building of the Turku Art Museum beckons to walk up the Aurakatu street towards the green Puolalanpuisto park. Looking from the city market place, the museum’s granite facade rises at the end of the street at Aurakatu 26.

Our curiosity led us to visit this little jewel of culture. 

Very interested in art in France and all over the world, I was in a hurry to discover that this kind of art was offered in the northern countries.

It’s a very eclectic exhibition. There are works of great quality and very diverse in style: from classical works to the latest in contemporary art. 

In addition to the varied exhibition programme, the museum offers many other activities and a beautiful museum atmosphere in which to meet and socialise.

The museum manages one of the most comprehensive art collections in Finland. Considered a national treasure, the collection includes works of art from Finland’s golden age (the turn of the 20th century), self-portraits, Finnish surrealism and pop art. Today, the museum’s collection comprises almost 7,000 pieces and part of the collection is permanently on display in temporary exhibitions.

The exhibition presents the collection of more than 500 works of art donated to the Turku Art Museum by medical and surgical doctor Lars Göran Johnsson (born 1930 in Tampere). The exhibition is divided into thematic sections that express the character of the collection.

The granite building of the National Romantic Museum is one of the most important landmarks in the city and is also an attraction in itself. Designed by Professor Gustaf Nyström and completed in 1904, the building is the second in Finland to be designed and built specifically as an art museum.

In the cosy Café Victor you can take a break for a coffee or a light lunch and in summer you can enjoy one of the most fantastic views of the city from the terrace. Visitors can also visit the museum shop in Muusa, where you can purchase delicate objects, beautiful gifts and basic necessities.