Studio Aalto, Photo: Maija Holma / Alvar Aalto Museum.

All four sites run by the Alvar Aalto Foundation broke visitor records in 2016. The Aalto House and Studio Aalto in Helsinki, the Alvar Aalto Museum and Muuratsalo Experimental House in Jyväskylä had a total of 42,755 visitors.

“Interest in Alvar Aalto and his life’s work continues to grow steadily, as it has done throughout the entire lifetime of Aalto’s office, Museum and Foundation. The growth in 2013–2016 can additionally be explained by the way that we have made our visitor services part of the Foundation’s and Museum’s core functions, rather than outsourcing them. People who visit Alvar Aalto’s sites are often important partners in collaboration and part of a worldwide network of Aalto enthusiasts,” says Director of the Alvar Aalto Foundation Tommi Lindh.

The Alvar Aalto Museum and Muuratsalo Experimental House in Jyväskylä received a total of 24,005 visitors (20,877 in 2015). Visitor numbers have been growing for the last five years, and now these sites have hit an all-time visitor record. Half of visitors to the Museum came from outside Finland, from about 50 different countries altogether.

The growth in visitor numbers last year was affected by factors including the lengthening of the summer tourist season and the more frequent appearances of Alvar Aalto-related topics in international, national and local media. Of the exhibitions on display during the year, Vent, which showed the works of Simo and Jussi Heikkilä, attracted most visitors. The exhibition was seen by a total of 8,385 people.

The year was the biggest ever in terms of visitor numbers at both public sites in Helsinki. The Aalto House had 11,682 visitors (10,071 in 2015) and Studio Aalto 7068 visitors (5796 in 2015). There were guided tours at the sites in seven different languages during the year. The biggest individual national group was from Japan, which accounted for almost a quarter of all visitors. The Aalto House and Studio are also being rented out more than previously for small-scale occasions and conferences.

Further information about the Alvar Aalto Foundation’s public sites here.

Further information and requests for press images:
Annukka Pakarinen
Communications, Alvar Aalto Foundation
annukka.pakarinen(at)alvaraalto.fi
tel. +358 (0)50 381 0143