Museum Awards 2025 were announced at the Museum Award Gala in Pori on 22nd May 2025. The Museum of the Year 2025 award was given to Lahti City Museums. The Communication Act of the Year award was granted for the communication of the From Tokyo to Tapiola exhibition at Leikki – the Museum of Play, and for the renaming of Idänsuhteiden museo into Nootti – Museum of Finnish-Russian Relations.

The Museum of the Year Challenge Trophy, the Esko sculpture designed by Pekka Kauhanen, is awarded to a museum that has significantly advanced the social visibility and impact of the museum sector within its own field of activity. The work of the Museum of the Year has introduced new or different perspectives, ideas, and concepts to the museum field. The prize is presented jointly by the Finnish National Committee of the International Council of Museums (ICOM Finland) and the Finnish Museums Association.

Lahti City Museums is the Museum of the Year 2025

The award jury described Lahti City Museums, selected as Museum of the Year, as follows:

“Lahti City Museums comprises four fascinating and distinctly different museum sites that the public has embraced as their own.
Together, these four museums reflect the importance of both Lahti and the Päijät-Häme region in Finland’s history and culture.

Each site within Lahti City Museums offers its own content, target audiences, and programming. Behind the scenes, however, the work is carried out collaboratively, guided by shared strategies and strong visions.
The themes of participation and well-being unite the activities of Lahti City Museums, with nature and the environment always in view.

Lahti City Museums has a long tradition of strong community engagement. Especially exemplary is the way the mission of promoting well-being has been successfully integrated into the museum’s operations.
The museum assumes responsibility for the history—and the future—of the people of Lahti.
Its impact across the region is visible in concrete, grassroots actions, such as cleaning and enlivening park areas through lighting and art.

In recent years, Lahti City Museums has successfully carried out extensive renewal projects.
The Visual Arts Museum Malva, housed in a former factory, and the Lahti Historical Museum, skilfully restored in the historic Lahti Manor, have through these transformations become dynamic destinations of wide appeal.

The museum’s renewed, determined, and influential operations also refresh the image of Lahti as a city.”

Communication Act of the Year Award to Two Finalists

The Communication Act of the Year Award is presented every other year for a successful communication initiative that stands out in a positive way.

This year the award goes to the communication for the exhibition From Tokyo to Tapiola at Leikki – the Museum of Play, as well as to the name change of Nootti – Museum of Finnish-Russian Relations.

“This year the jury decided to honor both finalists in the Communication Act of the Year competition, as they were very different yet highly successful communication achievements in their own ways.

The communication for the From Tokyo to Tapiola exhibition at Leikki – the Museum of Play was a well-executed, contemporary project in which the museum successfully built extensive connections beyond the museum field by involving an enthusiast community closely in the exhibition’s communications.

The jury was especially impressed by the integration of communication into the exhibition design from the very beginning and by the active presence on social media.

The name change of Nootti – Museum of Finnish-Russian Relations was a challenging and socially significant communication process that could easily have failed. It was carried out with strong communication expertise and a clear, consistent narrative despite the pressure for potential failure.

Nootti succeeded in gaining broad, worldwide attention for its communication efforts,” the jury stated in its reasoning.

Museum Card Special Awards

The Museum Card Special Award 2025 was granted to the public’s choice for the all-time favorite museum. The winner of the All-Time Favorite Museum award was the Ateneum Art Museum.

This year, the Museum Card also presented honorary mentions for Children’s Favorite Destination and All-Time Museum Discovery. The Children’s Favorite Destination award went to Heureka – the Finnish Science Centre, and the All-Time Museum Discovery award was given to the Finnish Motorcycle Museum.