en Theatre Museum
The Theatre Museum is the museum with national responsibility for performing arts in Finland, and we bring the cultural heritage of the performing arts to the fore nationwide. Founded in 1962, the museum tells about the history and present day of theater, dance, opera, circus, and performance art. We invite visitors to explore the multidimensional world of the performing arts and encourage them to immerse themselves, try things out for themselves, identify with the art forms, search and discover.
The museum at the Cable Factory in Helsinki features permanent exhibitions It’s Showtime and Arkadia Theatre, as well as temporary exhibitions that explore themes related to the performing arts. We also present the cultural heritage of the performing arts online and in traveling exhibitions at other museums. We also lend objects to exhibitions in other museums.
The Theatre Museum’s archival responsibility is determined by its function as a national special museum. We maintain a national collection of Finnish theater, dance, opera, circus, and performance art. We focus primarily on collecting information on professional activities and organizations and professionals in the field.
The museum is maintained by the private Theater Museum Foundation, which consists of the City of Helsinki, the Central Association of Finnish Theater Organizations, and the Finnish Museum Association. Antti Mattila serves as the chair of the foundation’s board (2023–2025).
Important dates in the history of the Theatre Museum
1962 Foundation of the Theatre Museum was founded.
1963 First exhibition was opened in the Balder building in Aleksanterinkatu.
1981 Theatre Museum started to be managed full time.
1983 Theatre Museum expanded its premises: the archive and the office moved to Snellmaninkatu 17.
1993 Museum received new spaces for the office, collections and exhibitions in the Cable Factory.
1994 Theatre Museum became a National Special Museum.
1999 New permanent exhibition and Research Room were opened after renovation and expansion in the Cable Factory.
2000 Finnish Theatre Information Centre awarded the Museum the Illusionist prize.
2001 Museum was awarded the Museum of the Year prize by the Council of Europe.
2018 All of the museum’s collections were moved under one roof in Vallila, Helsinki, where some of the staff also relocated.
2019 Circus and live art and performace were included in museum’s recording plan.
2020 The Theater Museum was granted the status of a museum with national responsibility in accordance with the Museums Act.
2023 The museum’s new permanent exhibition, Third Call, was opened.