Finnish National Gallery

The Finnish National Gallery is the largest Finnish art museum and a national cultural institution under the influence of the Finnish Ministry of Education. It includes the Ateneum, Kiasma, the Sinebrychoff Art Museum and the Central Art Archives.

History

1887 Ateneum building was opened in the center of the Finnish capital Helsinki, which housed the Museum of Decorative Arts, and two art schools at the time. A year later the collection was founded in 1846 Finnish Art Association was added. The collection expanded and the exhibition activities led to the alignment as an art museum. The debt of the Ateneum was taken over by the Company of the Academy of Arts in 1939. The art schools were autonomous institutions that respect other buildings, and in 1977 the Ministry of Education funded the renovation of the building, which has now been fully aligned to collection and exhibition activities. The University of Art and Design Helsinki acknowledged their rooms 1982 and 1984 left the Akademie der Künste their premises, so that in 1985 the renovation work began. Meanwhile Ateneum Art Museum was housed at the Kansakoulukatu road.

In 1990, the Finnish National Gallery was founded, which also included the Sinebrychoff Art Museum next to the Ateneum. The archive and the photographic collection of the Academy of Fine Arts, which had been cared for by a foundation, were transferred to the central art archives. In addition, a new administration was established. Three museums were established: one for Finnish, one foreign and one for contemporary art.

The Ateneum building was reopened in May 1991 after six years of construction. In spring 1998, the Museum of Contemporary Art in its own building, the Kiasma was moved. Thus, the National Gallery was the umbrella organization that maintains the various museums. In 2000, the museums were renamed as part of reforms to the National Gallery. The Museum of Finnish art once again became the Ateneum, the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma and to the Museum of Foreign Art back to Sinebrychoff Art Museum. 2004, the National Gallery was also placed directly under the administration of the Finnish Ministry of Education.