Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum preserves, explores and presents the richness of nature in different habitats in Central Finland. Permanent exhibition displays the diversity of nature in Central Finland. In addition to the main exhibition, there are temporary exhibitions.

Service hours and location

Please book your group's visit in advance.

Natural History Museum's service hours:

Monday closed
Tuesday to Friday 12 am to 6 pm
Saturday and Sunday 12 am to 5 pm

Entrance to the Natural History Museum is free.

The Natural History Museum is located in Vesilinna, Ihantolantie 5, 40720 Jyväskylä.

Please note! From Thursday 23rd to Sunday 26th of July The Finnish Athletics Championships affect arrival to the Natural History Museum. Ihantolantie will be completely closed from traffic from Thursday to Sunday, making the museum inaccessible by car. The museum will be open as usual, and visiting is possible by bike or foot using other routes.

2026

3.–6.4. closed

1.5. closed

14.5. closed

19.–22.6. closed

23.–26.7. Ihantolantie and museum parking area closed during the Finnish Athletics Championships on Harju Stadium. Museum is open as usual.

30.–31.7. closed (Secto Rally Finland, Harju special stage)

6.12. closed

21.12.2026–1.1.2027 closed

2027

6.1.2027 closed

Subject to change.

Parking

Accessible parking. Accessible parking facing the main entrance of the building. One marked space, 20 meters from the entrance.
Accessible taxi drop-off in front of the main entrance. The address for ordering accessible taxi is Ihantolantie 5.

Entrance

Partly inaccessible. Door at the main entrance fairly heavy with a threshold of 30 mm. Door to the museum fairly heavy with a threshold of 30 mm.
Museum staff will gladly help with the doors when needed.
Museum exhibitions are accessible by wheelchair. At this moment there is no wheelchair to loan at the museum.

Lift

Accessible. To the left of the main entrance of the building.

WC

Accessible WC. On the second floor, at the restaurant entrance hall, seven meters right from the lift. If the restaurant is closed, museum staff can open the door.

Observation tower

Inaccessible. Lift does not go all the way to the tower, there are several stairs to be walked.
Pets are welcome to the observation tower.

Guide dogs

Guide dogs are welcome in the museum as well as the observation tower. Other pets are forbidden in the museum.

Visiting the museum with children

It is allowed to take strollers to the exhibitions. They can also be left at the coat stand in the entrance hall or in front of the museum shop. At this moment there are no strollers to loan at the museum.
Baby changing station can be found in the accessible WC in the restaurant entrance hall on the second floor. If the restaurant is closed, museum staff can open the door.

Food and drinks

It is forbidden to eat or drink anything else than water in the exhibitions. You can eat and drink in the museum auditorium behind the museum shop. There is a water tap in the auditorium, behind the kids' coloring station corner.
Food products are not sold at the museum shop. It is possible to buy them at the Vesilinna restaurant when it is open.

Coat racks

Coat racks can be found in the main lobby and in front of the museum shop. There are no locked containers at this moment. It is allowed to bring backpacks and other bags in the museum.

Sensory accessibility

Lighting. Museum's lighting is dim in order to preserve the scientific specimens. Flashlights can be borrowed from the museum shop, and staff can be asked to increase the lighting if needed. There are some bright spotlights in the exhibition and the museum shop. There are no flashing lights in the museum.
Sounds. There are nature sounds in the exhibition, some of them work with a motion sensor and some with buttons. The computers and videos in the exhibition have sound when used. There is no induction loop in the museum at this moment.
Temperature. The temperature in the exhibition is stabilized in order to the preservation of the specimens, and the temperature can feel slightly cool especially during the winter.
Scents. The Natural History Museum is part of the University of Jyväskylä, which is a scent-free university. Please avoid using scents when visiting the museum.

Natural History Museum for visiting groups

Luontomuseon täytetty kettu — The Nature Museum's main exhibition takes you to the many natural sites in the province.

Täytetty hirvi luontomuseossa — Permanent exhibition displays the diversity of nature in Central Finland.

Exhibitions

Environment as a heritage- the main exhibition presents the nature of Central Finland, from the oldest bedrock to modern habitats. The exhibition showcases biodiversity, species and environmental protection and has been designed with environmental education in mind.

Central Finland's most important natural sites are on display in the main exhibition, which includes themes such as predators, winter nature, water bodies, forests and swamps. In the geology section you can learn about the Ice Age, the soil and the structure of the Earth. In addition to the main exhibition, there are temporary thematic exhibitions.

Bird sounds in the exhibition were recorded by Tero Linjama and Thomas Bergman. The recordings have been uploaded from xeno-canto (xeno-canto.org).

Temporary exhibitions

List of all the university's exhibitions

9.10.-20.12.2026 Nature Photographs 2025

Upcoming exhibition

Museum Shop

University Museum Shop Luontosoppi is a cosy shop with gifts, university products, post cards, toys and publications. The Museum Shop serves in the Natural History Museum.

The shop is open with opening hours of Natural History Museum. Please note that we accept only card payment.

Welcome to shop at Luontosoppi!