In the permanent exhibitions, you can visit Finnish bogs, African savannahs, the local forests of the future and the origins of life. In addition, the eventful history of the museum building is described in the fourth-floor lift lobby.
The exhibition takes you from the vernal south coast of Finland to the inland greenery in the summer, and through autumnal expansive fields, forests and wetlands to the northern winter. On the way, you will meet displaying cranes, a bruin preparing for hibernation and defiantly battling elk bulls. And what is that rustling in the trash bin?
Finnish nature is shaped by ice ages. Our current species too are constantly changing and adapting because of environmental change. Come and explore Finland’s unique biodiversity!
Glimpses of the history of life reveal shocking upheavals, continual change and unexpected twists. The continental and oceanic plates of Earth’s outermost rocky shell, known as the lithosphere, move as if on a conveyor belt. They shift, collide and rupture, shaping the surface of the continents and influencing the climate of our planet as a whole. Thanks to favourable conditions in the past, the first organisms evolved in the oceans and began producing oxygen necessary for today’s lifeforms. But this was only the beginning.
Embark on a journey to the origins of evolution and explore its billion-year passage from small trilobites to the largest known predatory dinosaurs and the fearsome great white shark.
Our planet is full of wonders of diversity. You can dive into the world of marine creatures, watch bears catching fish and rest under the starry skies of the nocturnal savannah.
The exhibition will transport you from the cold and barren poles of Earth through the northern boreal zone to the temperate zones of Europe and North America. The temperate region is followed by subtropical views of Africa, and perhaps you are ready to bounce along with the kangaroos in Australia. Finally, the subtropics make way for the tropical soundscape and the rainforests that pulsate with life.
Current climate change occupies the minds of many, but how is it different from previous changes in the global climate and other environmental change? The exhibition takes you from the past to the future, observing how humans have influenced northern nature since prehistoric times.
The focus is on the latest ice ages, against which the consequences of ongoing climate change are reflected. The exhibition encourages visitors to consider the changes that can be expected in our natural environment, as well as ways in which we can prevent and adapt to future threats. The stars of the story are the losers of the last great climate change – the woolly mammoth, the cave lion and the Irish elk.
The entire evolutionary history of vertebrates is told by their bones. The skeletal structure describes the habitats and lifestyles animals have adapted to. In the exhibition, you will see graceful and streamlined swimmers as well as light, hollow-boned masters of the air. On the basis of teeth alone, you can determine who eats whom. Take a look under the surface and find out how vertebrates have evolved.
The exhibition includes a major rarity on display at the museum: the skeleton of the Steller’s sea cow, which became extinct in the 18th century. As far as is known, there are fewer than 10 complete Steller’s sea cow skeletons in the world’s museums.
Change in the Air
The only constant in life is change. Why then are current changes in the climate and the environment exceptional? The Change in the Air exhibition sheds light on Earth’s past and transports visitors through eras. The question at the end of the exhibition is: What kind of future do you wish to build?