Vapriikki Celebrates 30 Years with Behind-the-Scenes Tours and Special Exhibitions

On Sunday 15 November Vapriikki will open areas normally closed to visitors and run special guided tours, Tamperelainen reports.

The museum centre occupies Tampella’s former lower workshop, its industrial roots stretching back to the 19th century. Since opening three decades ago it has grown into one of Finland’s largest cultural sites, hosting more than 200 exhibitions and countless events. Shows have ranged from local history displays to internationally renowned exhibitions such as the Terracotta Army and Songlines: The Seven Sisters of Australia.

Today Vapriikki houses several institutions under one roof, including the Pirkanmaa Regional Museum, the Finnish Ice Hockey Museum and the Postal Museum. Collections were moved to a separate collection centre in 2013. This anniversary year has featured themed exhibits such as Football World Cups Through the Years and Tampere at the Turn of the 20th Century. Upcoming shows include Myrkkyä! in 2027 and a 50th-anniversary Pikku Kakkonen exhibition next spring, while permanent favourites like the Finnish Museum of Games and the Tampere Museum of Natural History remain on view.