Ask an archaeologist, make discoveries at the artefact market, and party the night away at the Jytää ja Iskelmää gig! Explore the diverse programme of the Alvar Aalto Museum and the Museum of Central Finland.

5.00 PM–12.00 AM 

Address: Alvar Aallon katu 7, 40600 Jyväskylä 

5.00 PM
How to recognize a genuine Aalto object?  
Location: Alvar Aalto Museum
Join us for a special session with Aalto design collector Pertti Männistö, who will guide us through the art of identifying Aalto pieces. Männistö has the world’s largest collection of Alvar and Aino Aalto designs, and his collected objects have been exhibited at the Alvar Aalto Museum. The event will be a discussion, so you can join in with your own thoughts or questions. Please note that the event will be conducted in Finnish. 

5.00 PM–8.00 PM
Pondering Central Finland (non-stop) 
Location: Exploring Central Finland exhibition (2nd and 3rd floor) 
Come and join the staff of the Museum of Central Finland in pondering Central Finland’s past and people’s everyday life in different decades. How did Jyväskylä become a city? What happened in Central Finland during the turbulent years of the early 20th century? The exhibition also examines the development of the region’s industry and the reconstruction, migration, and the rise of culture in the post-war decades. And why not do some dance steps to the beat of the jukebox? 

6.00 PM–9.00 PM
Finds & Treasures – Alvar Aalto Museum Market  
Location: Alvar Aalto Museum
During the Museofest event, you’ll have the opportunity to make unique finds from items and special products made available by the Alvar Aalto Museum. Come and explore — you might discover a piece of furniture to restore, a ceramic tile, or even a slab of marble for your home. There will also be a curated selection of architectural literature, art photography, and Alvar Aalto Shop products. You may even come across old archival materials from Aalto’s office or sought-after vintage posters. Come and experience the joy of discovery!

6.00 PM
Ask an Archaeologist (held in Finnish)  
Location: Museum of Central Finland
Did you find a strange stone? Do you wonder where you can find information about Central Finland’s archaeology or what you should do if you find an ancient artefact? Do you ponder how people lived in the Stone Age or why an archaeologist is needed in a museum? Come and ask your mind-boggling questions from the archaeologist of the Museum of Central Finland! 

6.30 PM  
Recognize Damages to Objects workshop (the workshop is in Finnish) 
Location: Museum of Central Finland
Spend a moment as a conservator and learn about damages to museum objects. In the workshop, you will have the opportunity to do a playful damage assessment of objects. At the same time, there is a chance to discuss with the conservator of the Museum of Central Finland why and how damage to materials occurs, how damages can be prevented and whether they can sometimes be useful? Conservator is an expert in the preservation of cultural heritage .

7.00 PM–9.30 PM
Behind the Facade – Architecture Mask Workshop
Location: Workshop Space Kulma, Alvar Aalto Museum
What kind of building would you be? What would its facade look like? What kind of windows would you use to view the surrounding landscape? Come and get to know yourself and get ready for the MuseoFest evening. Create your own unique facade mask for your building in a fun non-stop workshop. You can take a photo with your mask in front of the landscape selfie wall as a souvenir. 

7.00 PM
With Love, Rantasipi (the guided discussion is in Finnish) 
Location: Art Hall (4th floor) Museum of Central Finland
Guided discussion in the Rantasipi exhibition with the Rantasipi hotel chain’s long-time CEO Juhani Kivelä and the curator of the exhibition Johanna Rekonen.  How did Central Finland become a trendsetter in the tourism industry in the 1960s? How is the former president of Finland Urho Kekkonen connected to Rantasipi? How did the sandpiper tribe come to be? And what was it like to do an exhibition about the legendary hotel chain? The event will go down the memory lane to Rantasipi’s colourful past and behind-the-scenes happenings as well as talk about the making of the exhibition and the choices that were made during the process.      

7.30 PM  
Sipi chirps -songs (the songs are in Finnish) 
Location: Museum of Central Finland
iKoivisto performs hit songs from the 1970s which had been published in the Rantasipi hotel chain’s staff magazine with lyrics re-written by the staff. Most of the re-written lyrics have been penned by Pentti Kivi who worked at the hotel Rantasipi Joutsenlampi. During the concert, there will also be a few of iKoivisto’s own songs whose stories describe the atmosphere in the Central Finnish countryside during the heyday of the Rantasipi hotel chain in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. iKoivisto is a Central Finnish storyteller, singer-songwriter whose music is influenced by folk, country, Americana, and blues spiced with herbs that have been gathered from the side paths of Finnish schlager music and the small settlements of the rugged watershed regions of the Suomenselkä drainage divide.    

8.00 PM
How to recognize a genuine Aalto object?  
Location: Alvar Aalto Museum
Join us for a special session with Aalto design collector Pertti Männistö, who will guide us through the art of identifying Aalto pieces. Männistö has the world’s largest collection of Alvar and Aino Aalto designs, and his collected objects have been exhibited at the Alvar Aalto Museum. The event will be a discussion, so you can join in with your own thoughts or questions. Please note that the event will be conducted in Finnish. 

8.30 PM
Museum Quiz   
Location: Aalto2 Café, Alvar Aalto Museum
Come and put your knowledge to the test while enjoying a great atmosphere at the Museum Quiz organised by Jyväskylä’s museums! This light-hearted quiz will take you on a journey through fascinating collections and exhibition themes with a variety of intriguing questions. All you need is a curious mind and a bit of enthusiasm – and there’s even a small prize for the winner. Bring your friends along or join the quiz on your own. Welcome to an evening of quizzing fun!

9.30 PM–12.00 PM 
Jytää ja Iskelmää – Finnish Disco Club
Location: Aalto2, the connecting section
Jytää ja Iskelmää is the hottest Finnish disco club around. DJ Arttu Seppänen has spent years touring across Finland, hunting down domestic schlager vinyls from flea markets. What makes the night truly unique are the quirky and rare records you won’t hear in any format – not even online. Jytää ja Iskelmää blends the oddities and curiosities of Finnish schlager with the evergreen classics everyone knows. 

Exhibitions:

11.00 AM–12.00 PM 

AALTO – Work and Life
The Alvar Aalto Museum’s permanent exhibition gives the public an opportunity to explore Alvar Aalto’ life’s work. It takes us beneath the surface into the architect’s working and design process, whether it be an individual building, a city centre, a piece of furniture, or a district plan.

Exploring Central Finland
The permanent exhibition of the Museum of Central Finland traces the history of Central Finland from prehistoric times all the way to the year 2000. The exhibition ponders and presents the life of the people of the region in the different millennia, centuries, and decades.

Marie-José Van Hee – For Sun and Wind to Paint on
The main role in the exhibition is played by Belgian architect Marie-José Van Hee (b. 1950) and her work. Van Hee makes skilful use of materials, light, and proportions to create harmonious spaces where the boundary between interior and exterior becomes blurred. The exhibition’s title, For Sun and Wind to Paint on, reflects Van Hee’s meticulous attention to how light interacts with different surfaces and materials.

That’s Why There Was LoiskiS – The First 25 Years of the Children’s Music Orchestra
The Jyväskylä-based children’s music orchestra Loiskis celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. To mark the occasion, the ensemble presents the exhibition That’s Why There Was LoiskiS – The First 25 Years of the Children’s Music Orchestra at the Aalto2 Museum Centre, offering an immersive dive into the orchestra’s colourful history and vibrant activities.

The World of Hydrogen
Cefmof organizes the World of Hydrogen exhibition that takes people of all ages into the world of the smallest but most abundant element in the universe: hydrogen. The exhibition focuses on green hydrogen, exploring how it is present in our daily lives in Central Finland today and in the future.

Rantasipi – Tales from the World of Wilderness Hotels
Rantasipi was a legendary wilderness hotel chain that began in Central Finland when Rantaloma Ltd. was founded in Viitasaari in 1965. Designed by architects, the hotels prominently featured Finnish materials and design in both their construction and interiors. Typically located in scenic rural landscapes or on the outskirts of cities, their remote settings quickly earned them the nickname ‘wilderness hotels.’ The exhibition takes visitors on a visual journey through the hotels and resorts of the 1960s–1980s, offering a unique perspective on Finland’s tourism history through the lens of Rantasipi.