Oodi - world-class library and architectural attraction

The Children’s World on the third floor offers the chance to chill out and immerse yourself in stories

Oodi's South corner // Staircase with artist Otto Karvonen's artpiece Omistuskirjoitus ("Dedication")

Sunny summer terrace of Oodi // Couple between the shelves

Oodi and others sights nearby

Oodi is Helsinki's new Central Library and a living meeting place in the city centre on the Kansalaistori Square. Oodi is a venue for events, a house of reading and a diverse urban experience. It will provide its users with knowledge, new skills and stories, and will be an easy place to access for learning, story immersion, work and relaxation. Oodi is a library of a new era, a living and functional meeting place open for all.

1. Oodi, Helsinki Central Library

The National Audiovisual Institute (KAVI) organizes regular film screenings at the Kino Regina cinema at the Central Library Oodi. 

Archival series cover just about everything from the earliest examples of film history to the latest noteworthy releases: classics and forgotten gems, extensive retrospectives illuminating genre history and changing times.

There are screenings six days a week, from Tuesday to Sunday, mostly three times a day.

2. Kino Regina

Kansalaistori is a new square and lawn area in the heart of the city located between the Music Centre and Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma along Mannerheimintie. The square is partially paved and in the summertime popular especially among skateboarders. The area has plenty of benches to sit and relax and watch all the activity around. The artificial turf playground located in the area provides a possibility for different kinds of sports activies, e.g. basketball, and there's a paved bicycle route running through the area. Kansalaistori serves also as a venue for various events, such as the New Years celebrations, Taste of Helsinki food festival and Picnic Cinema during the annual Helsinki Festival.

3. Kansalaistori Square

Sanoma House with its glass facade is situated in Finlandia Park, a cultural oasis in the heart of Helsinki, north of the Helsinki railway station, beside the Museum of Contemporary Art-Kiasma, the Central library Oodi and the Music Centre. It was opened in 1999 and designed by Jan Söderlund and Antti-Matti Siikala. It houses eg. the head offices of Helsingin Sanomat, Ilta-Sanomat and Nelonen Media. The first and second floors mainly consist of covered public space.

4. Sanomatalo

Kiasma is a museum of contemporary art in the centre of Helsinki. It is a place where people meet art and where everyone is welcome.

5. Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma

Musiikkitalo is an acoustically first-class concert hall as well as other facilities providing a wide range of musical experiences for people of all ages and a place to study music. The residents of Musiikkitalo are Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, and Sibelius Academy, Uniarts Helsinki.

Alongside music and architecture, it is also possible to enjoy visual art during a visit to Helsinki Music Centre. Reijo Hukkanen's Song Trees and Kirsi Kaulanen's Gaia were both specifically commissioned for the building. Works from the Finnish State Art Deposit collection are also on display.

The building was designed by LPR-Arkkitehdit.

There's also a café, lunch restaurant, a shop specialized in classical music, Fuga, and a sheet music shop, Ostinato, at Musiikkitalo. 

There are also guided tours in the building during summer, both to architecture and behind the scenes.

6. Musiikkitalo - Helsinki Music Centre

Finland's 200-seat parliament gathers in this impressive building representing 1920s Classicism. The facade of the building is made of red granite from Kalvola. The main facade includes 14 Corinthian columns. 

It is possible to visit the parliament by booking a free guided tour. The Plenary sessions, Visitor's Centre, and Parliament Library are also open for public.

7. Parliament

The charming Villa Hakasalmi is located next to Finlandia Hall near Töölönlahti bay. 

8. Villa Hakasalmi

Finlandia Hall is a unique centre for domestic and international conferences, concerts and other events. It is a popular architectural sight in Helsinki and one of the most beautiful places to visit in the city. Finlandia Hall is one of the most iconic buildings designed by world-renowned Finnish architect, Alvar Aalto, and was planned from the ground up for visitors and a wide range of events. 

If not attending an event, the building can be visited by attending a guided tour open to public, please see webpages for dates. 

A café, FINLANDIA CAFÉ, is open to public as well as a gallery, both situated on the Töölönlahti bay side.

9. Finlandia Hall

This list presents novels in which Helsinki shows a diverse face. Some stories are situated in the future, some a hundred years ago. All books were published in the 2000s and have been translated into English. 

Helsinki in novels

Thinking of visiting a library in Helsinki? See our list of stunning Helsinki libraries - must-visit places for any architecture and history enthusiasts!

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Oodi is a modern building that is much more than just a library. Oodi offers a selection of 100,000 book titles in almost 20 languages, as well as magazines, sheet music, movies and games....