Nature and art event for the whole family on Harakka Island

Event Introduction

Welcome to Harakka Island on Helsinki Day!

The nature and art event for the whole family offers plenty to see and experience in the middle of archipelago nature. The non-stop ferry service to Harakka Island is free of charge for the duration of the event. The free-of-charge ferry service starts at 13:30.

Harakka Island is located just off the coast of Kaivopuisto. The ferry operated by Merenkävijät departs to Harakka from Ullanlinnanlaituri marina (Ehrenströmintie 3). The ferry ride to the island takes only a few minutes.

Helsinki Day on Harakka Island Thu 12 June 2025 at 14:00–18:00

• Celebrate Helsinki Day by participating in a nature trip, guided tours and art workshops! No advance registration required.
• A pop-up café serves event participants at Galleria Lennätin. The café accepts MobilePay and cash.
• Please note that you cannot come to the island by your own boat and you must leave your dog at home.

PROGRAMME AND TIMETABLE

HARAKKA NATURE CENTRE

• Guided nestling tours for families with children, departure from the front of the Nature House at 14:30 and 16:30.
• Guided plantlife tours, departure from the front of the Nature House at 15:00 and 17:00.
• Examine exciting lichen and other flora and fauna with a loupe at the glaciated rocks at 15:00–17:00
• Salt rainbow workshop in front of the Nature House at 14:00–15:00, 15:30–16:30 and 17:00–18:00.
• Meet the mascot of the Litter-free Helsinki campaign, Tuula the seagull, in front of the Nature House every hour (14:00, 15:00, 16:00 and 17:00)
• Explore the Nature House’s archipelago nature exhibition, examine plankton with a microscope and head to the Litter Trail checkpoint route. A guide will be present throughout the event.
• Learn about the underwater world of the Baltic Sea with the brackish aquariums, Aquarium shed. A guide will be present throughout the event.
• Immerse yourself in the world beneath the waves through play and crafts at fairy tale house Vellamo.

THE ARTISTS OF HARAKKA

• Tours of the Artists’ House and a peek into an artist’s workspace under the guidance of sculptor Aleksi Remsu. The duration of the tour is approximately 30 minutes. The tour starts in front of the main entrance to the Artists’ House at 14:15 and 16:15.
• “The museum shop without a museum” will be showcasing and selling works, publications and supplementary material by the artists of Harakka Island for one day (Artists’ House library, guidance at the main door). The payment method is MobilePay.
• Art workshop: Make your own reed pen and draw birds in ink! Ink wash drawing with a reed pen under the guidance of artist Sirkku Ala-Harja. No prior drawing experience required. For 15 people at a time. Starts at 15:00, 16:00 and 17:00. Place: next to the Artists’ House
• Environmental artist Kaisa Salmi invites visitors to participate in the work ‘Mustameri’ (‘Black Sea’) in exhibition space casemate IV. The work comments on environmental disaster by examining it through the measurement of plastic consumption and air quality. Visitors can participate in the work throughout the event.
• A self-guided art tour using QR codes showcases Annette Arlander’s video project ‘Animal Years’. The works included in the project are based on the Chinese calendar and were filmed over a period of 12 years on Harakka Island. Take a picture of the map displaying the locations of the works on the Harakka Island notice board.

Harakka Nature Centre reserves the right to make changes to the event programme.

Location extra info

Categories

Children, Classics, Design and Workshops, Nature and the Environment, Open doors, Tours and Exhibitions, The sea