Children’s Museum Festival
An event day organised by the Tuusulanjärvi museums, ‘Children’s Museum Festival’, taking place at Ahola, Ainola, Halosenniemi, the Lotta Museum, Aleksis Kivi’s Memorial Cottage and Erkkola, with the Tuusula mobile library, Kirre, also taking part. In 2026, the event will take place on Saturday 22 August from 10.00 to 17.00. The Children’s Museum Festival is packed with fun activities and interesting things to see and do.
Programme for the Children’s Museum Festival
Saturday 22 August 2026
The Children’s Museum Festival is a fun-filled event at the museums around Lake Tuusulanjärvi. There’s a range of playful activities and things to do at Ainola, Ahola, Halosenniemi, the Lotta Museum, Erkkola and Aleksis Kivi’s final home. The mobile library Kirre will also be on hand in the Halosenniemi car park. Come along to listen to music, recite nursery rhymes, get creative, do some crafts or set off on an adventure along one of the many activity trails. You’re also welcome to bring along your own hobby horse or other toy companion if you like. There are treats and snack stands at several locations.
Free admission to museums for children and adults accompanying them. The programmes are free of charge.
Ahola, the former home of the visual artist Venny Soldan-Brofeldt and the writer Juhani Aho
57 Sibeliuksenväylä, Järvenpää
Visit Ahola
10.00–17.00. Ahola is a museum dedicated to the writer Juhani Aho and the painter Venny Soldan-Brofeldt.
Henna and the Superheroes concert in the courtyard
10.00. Henna and the Superheroes, who were nominated for the 2025 Children’s Music Group of the Year award, perform joyful, rhythm-based children’s music that inspires listeners of all ages to sing, dance, play and laugh. Joining Henna and the Superheroes is the powerful Hyväntuuli warning!
At the concert, we’ll journey together to the Island of Friendship, where we’ll celebrate friendship and the wonders of nature! Henna and the Superheroes Trio: Henna-Maija Kuki on vocals and accordion, Susanna Lukkarinen on backing vocals and piano, and Alina Kivivuori on backing vocals and violin. The concert lasts approximately 40 minutes.
Fishing stories from Ainola and Ahola!
10.00–17.00. Children can take part in an orienteering activity, collecting ingredients for fish soup from Ainola and Aho. Pick up a map from the ticket office at Ainola or Aho and set off on an adventure into the world of the Sibeliuses and the Aho-Soldans. Fancy it?
In addition, there is a self-guided fish-themed craft workshop on the upper floor of Ahola.
Ainola, the Aino and Jean Sibelius House Museum
Ainolankatu, Järvenpää
Visit Ainola
10.00–17.00. Come and visit the Jean and Aino Sibelius House Museum.
Stick track and rose craft activity
11.00–15.00. Make a rose for your own stick figure or soft toy. The craft station is located in front of the Ainola visitor centre, and we’ll provide the materials. The workshop is subject to weather conditions – if it rains, the workshop will be cancelled.
Why not give the hobby horse track a go? The museum has five hobby horses available to borrow, but you’re welcome to bring your own. Hobby horses aren’t allowed inside the museum; they’ll be waiting on the museum terrace whilst you’re visiting.
Guided tours for children at Ainola on the museum’s anniversary
At 10.00, 12.00 and 13.00. No advance booking required; places are limited to the first 25 participants. Children are the responsibility of their accompanying adult whilst in the museum and on the museum grounds.
Let’s play with colours together!
At 11.00 and 14.30. In this fun-filled workshop, we’ll explore how colours ‘play’ together! No previous experience of playing an instrument is required. There’s no age limit for the workshop, and it’s suitable for everyone from babies to grandad, and from teenagers to granny. Young children must attend the workshop accompanied by an adult.
Fishing Stories
10.00–17.00. Self-guided orienteering in Ainola and Aho, where you’ll gather ingredients for fish soup. Pick up a map from the ticket office at Ainola or Aho and set off on an adventure into the world of the Sibeliuses and the Aho-Soldans. Fancy it?
Become an artist
Borrow an art bag from the museum ticket office and have a go at drawing in the garden and the woods. Please return the bag by 16.30 at the latest.
Café Aulis
10.00–17.00. The café will be open to party guests all day.
Halosenniemi: Artist Pekka Halonen and his family’s studio home
Halosenniementie 4–6, Tuusula
Visit Halosenniemi
10.00–17.00. Visit the Halonen Artists’ Home Museum. The ‘Sacred Nature’ exhibition showcases artists’ perceptions of nature, ranging from Pekka Halonen’s landscape paintings to interpretations by contemporary artists.
The Amazing Bugs Workshop
10.00–17.00. Let’s get creative together and make imaginative, funny, cute or scary little creatures. Materials include paper, card and cardboard, as well as felt-tip pens for decorating. The workshop will take place on the patio next to the ticket office or, in the event of rain, on the veranda of the ticket office building.
Garden chores and harvesting
10.00–13.00.
Refreshments and ice cream
10.00–17.00. The Halosenniemi museum shop sells ice cream, juices and soft drinks
The mobile library at the Kirre Halosenniemi car park
10.00–17.00. In the car, you can learn about the summer and autumn harvest through books. There are also books on insects on display. Plus, there’s a task where you can win a book as a prize.
The Lotta Museum and the Lotta Canteen museum café
Rantatie 39, Tuusula
Visit the Lotta Museum
10.00–17.00. The exhibitions at the Lotta Museum explore the history of the Lottas and the ways in which they helped others and took on responsibility.
Aunt Milla’s engaging traditional nursery rhyme ‘Picnic’ and Seed Art Studio’s art workshop at Ruotsin Maja
At 11.00 and 13.00. In Story Aunt Milla’s interactive nursery rhyme session, children will learn and be reminded of the best-known traditional Finnish nursery rhymes in an engaging way, with the help of props and music. The games and nursery rhymes involve fingers, toes, Kiikeri the magpie and the kantele. After the performance, there will be an art workshop based on the nursery rhymes.
Storytime with Auntie Satutäti and Seed Art Studio’s nature poetry workshop (non-stop)
3.15–4.00 pm. Departure from the museum’s lower lobby.
Hurdle Course
10.00–17.00. There’s a hobby horse track in the Lotta Museum’s playground. Come and have a go on your own hobby horse or borrow one from the Lotta Museum.
‘Guess the Cake’ Summer Pass Task
10.00–17.00. Toivo the spider has baked a birthday cake for the 30-year-old Lotta Museum, but what on earth! The cake decorations have gone missing! Find the missing decorations in the garden and draw them onto the cake.
You can collect your activity booklet from the information desk. Show your decorated cake at the information desk and you’ll receive a small prize as a thank you.
Lottakanttiini Museum Café
10.00–17.00. Lunch is served from 11.00 to 14.00. There are also other delicious treats available all day long. Come and treat yourself!
Erkkola: art exhibitions in the former home of the poet J. H. Erkko
Rantatie 25, Tuusula
Visit Erkkola
10.00–17.00. The exhibition ‘Literally Speaking – A Dialogue between Language and the Visual Arts’ features artworks that explore how images and words can work together.
‘Make Your Own Postcard!’ workshop
10.00–17.00. Who would you like to send or give a card to? In keeping with the theme of the Erkkolan exhibition, images and words come together on postcards that you have drawn and coloured yourself, or customised using a ready-made template. On the back, you can write your own message, either by yourself or with an adult’s help.
Postman Pony’s Adventure Trail
10.00–17.00. Set off from the courtyard in pursuit of Postman Pony, either on foot or on a hobby horse. Along the trail, you’ll learn about the history of the postal service. Complete the tasks and find the answers using the clues. Once you’ve finished the trail, you’ll receive a small prize.
The Baking Ladies
Festive treats will be on sale throughout the event. The café will be serving juice, coffee, tea, and a selection of savoury and sweet treats.
Aleksis Kivi’s final cottage: Our national writer lived in this cottage for the last 10 months
Aleksis Kivi Lane (Rantatie), Tuusula
Visit Aleksis Kivi’s death cottage
10.00–17.00. Discover the national writer’s final home and his modest life as a crofter.
A poetry corner in the garden
10.00–17.00. Write your own greeting to be carried by the winds. A poem, a snatch of a song or a message to a friend is written on a strip of fabric, which is then attached to a poetry pouch to be carried away by the wind. Your message can also be a drawing or even a comic strip.
We reserve the right to make changes to the programme.
This content has been translated using AI