Finnish National Museum announces closures and furloughs amid budget cuts

The Finnish National Museum’s public facilities will be closed, services reduced, and a significant number of employees will be furloughed due to negotiations aimed at achieving cuts of €3.2 million from next year’s operational budget. Among the closures are Helsinki’s Seurasaari Open-Air Museum and the national romantic architectural site Hvitträsk in Kirkkonummi. Additionally, the Louhisaari Manor House in Askola and the Imperial Fishing Lodge in Kotka will also be shut.

Director General Tiina Merisalo of the National Museum of Finland stated that these measures will have a considerable impact on cultural heritage work nationwide. The closures affect regional economies, diminish opportunities for national and international collaborative efforts, and the deterioration of public services will slow down projects from both private and public sectors.

Approximately 150 staff members will be furloughed for varying lengths of time, ranging from four weeks to indefinite periods. There will also be cuts to temporary staff and seasonal hiring will be suspended. These personnel adjustments aim to save around €2.4 million in the upcoming year. Initially, discussions included potential layoffs of up to 30 employees; however, the museum managed to avoid any layoffs through alternative staffing measures and cuts in service purchases.

The museum plans to reduce its service purchases by about one-fifth, amounting to €1.4 million. Currently, the Finnish National Museum employs around 220 people.