The National Museum’s Summer Yard
An architecture competition named New National (Uusi Kansallinen) is currently under way for the annex to be added to the National Museum of Finland. This summer, a pavilion will be set up in the National Museum’s Summer Yard to provide event organisers and audiences with a wonderful setting for exciting activities but also a framework for re-intepreting the very meaning of the word ‘national’.
The National Museum’s Summer Yard was introduced as an event venue for the first time in 2015. For this summer, a pavilion will be erected in the lush and sheltered yard area, enabling the Summer Yard to serve as a full-fledged event venue.
The National Museum wishes to encourage and challenge people to form their own understandings of the ‘national’ by introducing a diverse range of content to the pavilion and the surrounding park. We hope to inspire as many people as possible to come up with ideas for the new building and interpret our national identity in a fresh way by contributing to the activities organised in the yard. Let’s paint with a broad brush together!
Do you have an event or idea that is perfect for redefining what ‘national’ really means? Would you like to gather people to do, learn or try things together, or engage in a hobby you all enjoy? Summer theatre spectacles, choir practices, poetry slams, singalongs, poetry matinées, karaoke, dance balls or massive picnics with music – we have the facilities, you bring the content!
You can send us event suggestions below. The Museum’s Public Programmes and Events team will curate the schedule for the coming summer based on the proposals. The Museum will collect similar suggestions together and help develop them further. The National Museum does not pay fees to performers. It is the organiser’s responsibility to handle all aspects of the event from planning and implementation to communication and marketing. Events held in the Museum’s yard area are open to all and free of charge.
Who can organise events?
Anyone: private individuals, clubs, associations or other NGO's.
When?
Starting from 29 May every Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday until 8 September.
The pavilion and other facilities
The pavilion can host events of slightly more than 100 people, and its measurements are as follows: 17.37 m (length), 8.53 m (width), 4.7 m (height). The tent features a wooden floor and stage. A sound system, mixer and microphones as well as outdoor furniture (chairs and tables) can be borrowed from the Museum. Bringing your own food and snacks to the events is permitted. You can also negotiate with the producer about inviting small and agile catering and food service providers to the events. A WC container is available.
Museum
• Helps to prepare event notifications to authorities
• Provides communications and marketing instructions
• Handles contact with the technical officer and event organiser
Communications and marketing
The organiser bears the responsibility for marketing and communications related to the event. The museum provides a communications and marketing guide. For any questions on the instructions, please contact our summer event producer.
We use our own channels to highlight events that best support the redefinition of the ‘national’ and lend a fresh perspective to the content offered by the annex.