Kiasma

Kiasma opened in 1998 to a design by the American architect Steven Holl, and the building was contentious before it was finished and has been comfortable in the city ever since: a curved form in which one wing bends through another, clad in zinc and glass, with a long interior ramp winding up through galleries lit as far as possible by daylight brought in through the roof. The collection is contemporary, largely Finnish and Nordic, and the programme leans toward changing exhibitions, performance and commissions rather than a fixed hang. The ground floor, café and shop are open without a ticket, and the terrace faces the parliament across the square.

What you actually see

• Holl's curving interior ramp - the spine winding up through the galleries.
• Daylight brought in from the roof - the lighting the building was designed around.
• Contemporary Finnish and Nordic art - the core of the collection.
• Performance and commissioned work - the programme beyond the walls.

When to go

Year round. Two hours. Closed Mondays. Free entry on certain evenings; check the current arrangement. Exhibitions change substantially through the year.

Honest expectations

There is no permanent display to rely on, so what is showing varies enormously and not every exhibition will appeal. The building divides opinion. Some installations are closed for changeover. It is small compared with major European contemporary museums.

Nearby

The Ateneum is across the square; Amos Rex lies west.