Trash! – What we leave behind

What does the trash of Helsinki residents consist of, where does it end up, and how does it impact the environment? The City Museum challenges visitors to reflect on their own consumption habits and encourages to make more sustainable choices. The topical exhibition Trash! invites city residents to explore the journey of household waste and the significance of environmental responsibility throughout history.

Designed especially for families with children, the exhibition showcases the history, present and future of waste management in Helsinki through playful tasks and diverse themes. Home illustrates changes in consumption, Sewer reveals the secrets of pipelines, Waste Management shows the routes of different waste types in the city, Recycling Shop gives new life to old items, and Future encourages visitors to dream of a sustainable city.

A variety of pots and toilets, along with the mascot characters illustrated by Riku Ounaslehto for the exhibition – Mr. Sumppi, Lörö, Voda, Kara, and Rööperi the Rat – are sure to bring smiles to visitors of all ages.

Trash! is produced in collaboration with Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority HSY and Uusix. The exhibition is produced by museum educator Magnus Rask, with exhibition architecture by Tarja Kunttunen.

Trash! – What we leave behind
25 April–5 October 2025
Helsinki City Museum, 4th floor
Aleksanterinkatu 16
Always free entry