Fill This Museum – Free Admission for Students and Visitors Under 25

The Architecture & Design Museum offers free admission to students and everyone under the age of 25, and the museum is open until 10 pm. Come on your own, gather your friends, or invite your crush on a date to enjoy Valentine’s Day pre-celebrations surrounded by architecture and design!

Programme

During the event, you can take part in workshops and explore the Escape to Moominvalley exhibition from different perspectives. Come unwind and slow down with hands-on making in the Soft Landscapes tapestry workshop, go on an exhibition adventure by solving a crossword, or pause to write a letter to a place that is important to you.

Workshops

Soft Landscapes – Tapestry Workshop
Date: Friday, 13 February 2026, 6:00–8:00 PM
Location: Lecture Hall, 3rd floor
Participation: Free of charge / advance registration required
Language: Finnish and, if needed, English
Instructor: Simone St Clair Stevenson

What kinds of emotions can a landscape convey? What can working with soft materials mean to us? And what does it mean to shape spatial memories and experiences into art – and what did Tove Jansson think about all of this?

Welcome to immerse your fingers in a pile of yarn and explore the meanings of space and place through soft materials. In the workshop, participants will design and create tapestries inspired by meaningful experiences, memories, and the landscapes intertwined with them. The workshop draws inspiration from the Escape to Moominvalley exhibition, which guides visitors through many places that were important to Tove Jansson – from the pulse of the city of Helsinki to the archipelago of Porvoo. Tove Jansson herself drew from meaningful details of her life when creating the illustrations and worlds of the Moomin stories.

At the beginning of the workshop, we will explore textile art and the significance of working with one’s hands through examples. Tapestry weaving is a textile art technique in which yarn is woven between the warp threads of a ready-made frame, creating pictorial, textile-based compositions.

No prior experience is required to participate – you can join on your own or together with a friend. Participants are also welcome to attend with their own interpreter, assistant, or support person. Workshop activities take place at tables with chairs that have backrests. All materials needed for the workshop are provided by the museum.

Letter to a Favourite Place – Drop-in Workshop
Date: Friday, 13 February 2026, 7:00–9:30 PM
Location: Studio, ground floor
Participation: Free of charge / no advance registration
Language: Finnish and English
Instructor: Anniina Lensu

What place has become a friend to you? What places have been important in your life? And what would you like to say to one special place?

Welcome to reflect on your favourite places through letter writing. The workshop is inspired by the Escape to Moominvalley exhibition, which takes visitors to many places that were meaningful to Tove Jansson. Places dear to Tove were found both in the vibrant city of Helsinki and in the quiet of the Porvoo archipelago.

You can join the workshop flexibly at any point during the evening, sit down, and write a letter to your favourite place. At the beginning of the workshop, there will be a short introduction on the significance of places to people and on approaches to creative writing. The workshop instructor will be present throughout the evening to support the writing process and offer guidance.

The workshop is suitable for everyone, regardless of prior experience. The working languages are Finnish and English, but participants may write in any language. Clear written participation instructions are available in Finnish and English for those working independently. Participants are also welcome to attend with their own interpreter, assistant, or support person. Workshop activities take place at tables with chairs that have backrests. All necessary materials are provided by the museum. Warm drinks and light refreshments will also be available.

Self-Guided Crossword Adventure
Date: Friday, 13 February 2026, 6:00–10:00 PM
Location: Lobby, 1st floor
Participation: Free of charge / no advance registration
Language: Finnish, Swedish, and English
Facilitator: Virpi Vihervuori

Does the world outside Moominvalley feel restless? Are you longing for a moment to slow down, observe your surroundings, and dive into the world of stories?

Welcome to a crossword adventure where the Escape to Moominvalley exhibition unfolds through observation and insight. Move through the museum at your own pace, pause to reflect on architecture, places, and images, and collect words along the way that guide you toward Moominvalley. The answers can be found by looking, reading, experiencing, and interpreting. The crossword clues encourage you to view the exhibition from new perspectives: What does safety feel like in a space? What kinds of forms invite you to linger? What are we escaping from – and where are we going? Pick up a pencil, follow the clues, and find your own place of refuge in Moominvalley.

You can embark on the crossword adventure alone or together with friends at any time during the evening. Crossword sheets and the facilitator can be found in the museum lobby. Participants are welcome to take part with their own interpreter, assistant, or support person.