Events in the areas of the Botanical Garden

Events and guided tours

Several guided tours are organised annually in the areas of the Botanical Garden with themes like history, vegetation or insects, for instance. We also organise events to promote biodiversity in the area, such as volunteer work on a meadow, as well as insect hotel workshops and other events encouraging people to increase biodiversity. Most of the guided tours are being held in Finnish, inquiries about guided tours in English, please contact the coordinator of the Botanical Garden: Hanna Keljo

You can also explore the Botanical Garden with the self-guided tour of the Seminaarinmäki garden here: Garden walk.

You can find information about upcoming events from the social media channels of the Botanical Garden and Jyväskylä University Museum, JYU event calendars as well as our cooperation partners’ information materials.

SUMMER 2026:

• Sat 4.7. at 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Grass to meadow -workshop at Seminaarinmäki, between L-building and the tennis court. Do you want to do something small for biodiversity and learn how you can turn useless grassland into multi-species meadows in your own yard? You can join us for the whole time or for a shorter time! The coordinator of the Botanical Garden can guide participants also in English. More info: Jyväskylän kesä.

• Kampuspuutarhassa soi  ("Music in the campus garden")-event in the park area of the Mattilanniemi campus
  • Time: Sat 15.8. at 16:00-21:00 on the park area of the University of Jyväskylä's Mattilanniemi campus (the end of the MaC building, from the miniature golf course and skate ramp towards the southwestern tip of the area)
  • Come and enjoy a summer evening with music, giant soap bubbles and funny characters of the Kupla Kopla performers! JKL.RAVES collective offers electronic music suitable for a summer evening, which invites you to spend time with old and new friends while enjoying the beautiful park environment of Mattilanniemi. You can also dance! The event is free of charge, suitable for the whole family and substance-free.
  • The event is organized in cooperation with the City of Jyväskylä and JKL.Raves and it is part of the Green Loop - Central park of Jyväskylä theme year programme (Green loop - central park of Jyväskylä)

• Sun 5.7. Seminaarinmäki garden is participating in the national Open Gardens-happening. Detailed programme: the website of the Open Gardens - Avoimet puutarhat (website in Finnish/Swedish only).
  • During the Open Gardens event, you will find a presentation stand of the Botanical Garden in the front yard of the Lähde Library (Building B) in Seminaarinmäki. From there you can find your way to the best flowering sites in the garden in the splendor of midsummer. The Botanical Garden's coordinator will be in the area during the event and can guide visitors to the different areas of the garden during the day (in English also). Grab the best tips for exploring on your own and a map of the area with tips for visiting for free.

  • The presentation stand will be on site on Sunday 5 July from 10 am to 5 pm, so you can start touring the open gardens from Seminaarinmäki and continue from there to other destinations. 

• Welcome to explore the history of the Mattilanniemi campus area and the extensive park areas and plant specialties of the Mattilanniemi garden in the University Museum's Soihtu exhibition centre. 

  • A Campus for all - The Jyväskylä University’s disappearing Mattilanniemi Campus 1980-2026.
  • The exhibition at Exhibition Centre Soihtu sheds light on the development of the Jyväskylä University’s Mattilanniemi Campus from an old pastureland to a city landfill and finally to a living and green university campus. Welcome to explore this endangered urban environment through the archive materials of the Jyväskylä University Museum!  
  • More info: Mattilanniemi exhibition

Seminaarinmäki Well-being path

Seminaarinmäki Well-being path is designed to give you a little relaxing break during your school or work day and also bring you closer to nature.

Read more about the Seminaarinmäki Well-being path

Bombus Medley

On Seminaarinmäki, you can walk through Bombus Medley, a bumblebee walk produced by the Evolution Workshops project. It is a funny and interesting audio nature path for children and adults alike, where you can learn about the evolution of bumblebees as well as their interaction with plants. 

You will also hear about, for example, how bumblebees communicate and what life is like in a bumblebee community. 

Following the QR-coded points, you can take a bumblebee walk around Seminaarinmäki and listen to or read the material of a point using your mobile smart device. You can find a map of the points on the audio nature path here and other additional information on the Evolution Workshops website: Kimalaiskimara