Sibelius Museum

Turku


Finland's most extensive musical museum displays some 350 instruments from accordions to Zimbabwean drums. A separate section is devoted to Finnish composer and bohemian carouser Jean Sibelius, with manuscripts and personal memorabilia. You can listen to Sibelius’ music on scratchy records, or hear live jazz, folk and chamber music at Wednesday-evening concerts held from autumn to spring. The museum is housed in a very cool, contemporary building by Woldemar Baeckman.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Turku attractions

1. Ett Hem Museum

0.04 MILES

Designed by CL Engel, this gold-coloured turn-of-the-20th-century residence houses art and furniture that was donated by art collectors Alfred and Hélène…

2. Turun Tuomiokirkko

0.1 MILES

The ‘mother church’ of Finland’s Lutheran faith, Turku Cathedral towers over Turku. Consecrated in 1300, the colossal brick Gothic building was rebuilt…

3. Aboa Vetus & Ars Nova

0.31 MILES

Art and archaeology unite here under one roof. Aboa Vetus (Old Turku) draws you underground to Turku’s medieval streets, showcasing some of the 37,000…

4. Luostarinmäen Käsityöläismuseo

0.47 MILES

When the savage Great Fire of 1827 swept through Turku, the lower-class quarter Luostarinmäki escaped the flames. Set along tiny lanes and around grassy…

5. Qwensel House & Pharmacy Museum

0.52 MILES

On the riverfront, Qwensel House is Turku’s oldest, built around 1700. It contains the small Pharmacy Museum, with an old laboratorium featuring medicinal…

6. Turun Taidemuseo

0.54 MILES

Turku Art Museum is housed in a striking granite building with elaborately carved pilasters and conical turrets, perched on a hill on the north side of…

7. Turku Biological Museum

0.78 MILES

In a beautiful 1907 building surrounded by parkland, the Turku Biological Museum shows off Finland’s fauna and flora in 13 realistic dioramas, including…

8. Wäinö Aaltosen Museum

0.84 MILES

Naturalistic and cubist-tinged sculptures donated by artist Wäinö Aaltosen are on display in this gallery, along with temporary exhibitions of…