National Library of Finland’s Cultural Activities
The mission of the National Library of Finland’s cultural activities is to provide enjoyable experiences and to heighten the interest of the general public towards literary culture and information retrieval. The purpose of exhibition activities is to make the National Library of Finland’s unique collections known while enhancing the public’s appreciation of Finland’s cultural traditions. In the exhibition process, new information content is created in cooperation with experts and researchers. The Library’s exhibitions have presented treasures, philosophy, folk tales, bookplates, comic strips, the theater, book illustrations, fiction, as well as medieval manuscripts and the Finnish underground. Thematically related lecture series, seminars, panel discussions, authors’ visits, poetry readings and concerts are organised in conjunction with the exhibitions. Events are also held in the Library in connection with the Night of the Sciences, organised every second year, and the Night of the Arts, held annually.
A cultural events calendar describing exhibitions and events is published twice a year. The calendar describing the spring season’s events is published in late January-early February, while the autumn edition appears in late August-early September. The cultural events calendar’s continuously expanding distribution is currently approximately 30.000 copies.
Multifaceted cultural activities have been aimed at citizens from different sectors, researchers, artists, various hobby associations and professional groups, as well as school children and children in daycare centres. The partners for the exhibitions and events are various cultural institutions and associations, the University of Helsinki and other universities, including the University of Lapland.
