Press release 24.9.2025
Nature attracts people – Haltia aims for a record and renews its main exhibition
The significance of nature in people’s everyday lives is growing, and this is also reflected in the increasing visitor numbers at the Finnish Nature Centre Haltia. In 2024, Haltia recorded 192,500 visits, and for the current year a new record is expected – the goal is to exceed 200,000 visits.
“Nature is the main attraction of tourism in Finland, and the growing interest is also visible here at Haltia. The share of international visitors is clearly increasing. This target group is an important part of Haltia’s development as a travel destination. Most of our visitors still come from Finland – Finns seek peace, inspiration, and experiences in nature. Haltia, located next to Nuuksio National Park, serves as a gateway to Finland’s nature for many,” says Haltia’s Director Anna Suominen.
A door open to understanding nature
Haltia’s popular main exhibition will be completely renewed next year. At the core of the new exhibition are biodiversity, the interaction of species with their habitats, and making the invisible visible. The exhibition responds to people’s growing need to understand nature – it provides nature literacy, strong experiences, and even more interactivity.
“When the surrounding world is changing, nature provides stability and meaning. We want to offer visitors insights into nature in an approachable form as well as memorable experiences,” Suominen sums up.
The majority of Haltia’s visitors, about 80 percent, arrive with family, relatives, or friends. The new exhibition will offer content for all ages – children, young people, and adults. The exhibition content will also be updated with current themes, making it interesting also for returning visitors.
The current exhibition will remain open until 18 October 2026, and the new one will open to the public at the beginning of December 2026.
The renewal of the main exhibition will be carried out by Ateljé Sotamaa
The renewal will be carried out by the design office Ateljé Sotamaa, which won the tender. Ateljé Sotamaa has previously designed and implemented, among others, the exhibition at the Fazer Visitor Centre, the interior of the restaurant Finnjävel and Finland’s pavilion at the World Expo in Astana in 2017.
“Designing Haltia’s main exhibition is an exceptionally rewarding task for me. I grew up close to nature and have observed its changes both near and far. I hope the exhibition will inspire visitors to fall more deeply in love with nature, to understand its richness and diversity, and to appreciate its wonders even more. In my opinion, nature literacy is the key to understanding – the closer one’s relationship with nature becomes, the more it inspires appreciation and a desire to learn more. And the more one learns to understand nature, the more joy and wellbeing it can bring,” says Tuuli Sotamaa, founder of Ateljé Sotamaa and chief designer of the exhibition.
Further information:
Anna Suominen
Director, Finnish Nature Centre Haltia
+358 40 503 2026
anna.suominen(at)metsa.fi
Tuuli Sotamaa
Ateljé Sotamaa
+358 50 331 6727
tuuli(at)sotamaa.net
