The Finnish government will fund the construction of a new Architecture and Design Museum in Helsinki as part of its coronavirus support package. The new museum is set to open to the public in 2025.
The Architecture and Design Museum has received a contribution of €60 million, which is part of the government’s €1.3 billion supplementary budget to help the country recover from COVID-19.
The Architecture and Design Museum would become the home of both the Museum of Finnish Architecture and Design Museum Helsinki.
“It is a significant decision when the state is so strongly committed to the realisation of the new Architecture and Design Museum,” said Reetta Heiskanen (Museum of Finnish Architecture) and Jukka Savolainen (Design Museum Helsinki).
Government contributes €60m to new museum
“In the museums, we are now focusing our efforts on playing our part in rebuilding Finland in the midst of the crisis that affects everyone. We will do our utmost to make the museum a place for everyone.”
The new museum is being planned for the South Harbour in Helsinki. It will combine the existing museums and their collections to create a unique attraction.
“In the view of the museums, the next step is joint discussions with the Ministry of Education a Culture and the City of Helsinki, and to advance the project further towards the establishment of a project organization, as well as further development of the operating model.
‘Rebuilding Finland in the midst of the crisis’
“The goal is for the museum to be open to the public in 2025,” added Heiskanen and Savolainen.
Heiskanen and Savolainen told Dezeen: “Now it’s time to establish a new museum of architecture and design. Finland has all that it takes to bring attention to Nordic wellbeing and design.”
Elsewhere, the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao was the first major museum to reopen in Spain on June 1, as the country eased its national lockdown.
