The Finnish Heritage Agency’s co-operation negotiations lead to a reduction in services, the closure of museums and extensive layoffs

The negotiations were aimed at cutting EUR 3.2 million from operating expenses for 2025. The National Museum of Finland, which operates under the Finnish Heritage Agency, will close its museums in Seurasaari, Hvitträsk, Louhisaari and Langinkoski. Expert and official services related to the cultural environment, collections and museum sector will be reduced and slowed down, and many development projects will be suspended. Financial adjustments will be made by laying off almost all of the agency’s personnel for varying periods of time, reducing the number of fixed-term employees, not hiring seasonal employees and cutting down on service purchases considerably.

“The measures that have now been decided on have significant nationwide effects on cultural heritage work. The closure of museums has regional economic consequences, and the measures reduce the opportunities for national and international network cooperation in the field. The cuts to official services will also slow down both private and public projects,” says Tiina Merisalo, Director General of the Finnish Heritage Agency.

“The financial situation of the Finnish Heritage Agency, which is extensively responsible for the cultural heritage sector, is already challenging, so the adjustment measures are stringent. When compared to other European countries, the agency is already operating with scarce resources,” states Merisalo.

Terminations were avoided, but preparations are being made for future negotiations

The Finnish Heritage Agency will implement savings of approximately EUR 2.4 million through personnel arrangements in 2025. Vacancies will not be filled, fixed-term contracts will not be renewed and seasonal employees will not be recruited. In addition, the agency will lay off approximately 150 people for varying periods of time, ranging from four weeks to an indefinite period. The Finnish Heritage Agency employs approximately 220 permanent employees.

The starting point for the co-operation negotiations was also to discuss the termination of the employment of a maximum of 30 employees. However, the terminations were avoided by implementing other personnel arrangements and significant cuts to service purchases. Of the service purchases planned for 2025, the Finnish Heritage Agency will cut approximately 20 per cent, or EUR 1.4 million.

The current negotiations at the Finnish Heritage Agency did not result in any significant structural reforms, as the Finnish Heritage Agency is already in the process of merging into a new agency in a year’s time together with the Governing Body of Suomenlinna as part of the administrative sector reform of the Ministry of Education and Culture. The Finnish Heritage Agency’s special cultural heritage library, which also became the topic of public debate during the negotiations, will reduce its operations and modify its operating model, but the library will not be closed down.

As the financial framework continues to decline and the need for adjustment continues, the Finnish Heritage Agency is preparing for the next co-operation negotiations in spring 2025.

Effects on museum services

The National Museum of Finland, which operates under the Finnish Heritage Agency, is responsible for public services, exhibitions and other programmes at ten museums, in addition to which it maintains national cultural-historical collections. Four of the National Museum of Finland’s museums will have to be closed for the time being as a result of the co-operation negotiations.

The Seurasaari Open-Air Museum, which was founded in Helsinki in 1909, is a popular destination for families and foreign tourists. Hvitträsk in Kirkkonummi is home to the Architectural Office Gesellius, Lindgren, Saarinen, which is one of Finland’s most internationally renowned art nouveau buildings. Louhisaari Manor in Askainen is Finland’s oldest 17th century manor and the birthplace of Marshal Mannerheim. The imperial fishing lodge of Langinkoski in Kotka was built as a residence for Czar Alexander III of Russia. The closure of the museums will have a significant impact on the tourism and vitality of their respective regions.

The opening hours or programmes will also be reduced at the following sites of the National Museum of Finland: Häme Castle, Olavinlinna Castle, Tamminiemi, the Prison and the Maritime Museum of Finland. This will also affect partner companies and operators in the creative industry.

A major expansion and renovation project is underway at the National Museum of Finland in Helsinki. The museum is scheduled to open in spring 2027, but the museum is unable to generate revenue during the construction period and is struggling to obtain the additional funding required for expanding its operations and services. At the time of the concluded negotiations, it is estimated that the National Museum will not be able to open on schedule once the construction projects have been completed. The delay signifies a calculated loss of income of more than EUR 250,000 each month.

Effects on expert and official work as well as development

The Finnish Heritage Agency’s statutory expert and official work regarding the cultural environment focuses on the protection of ancient relics, state and church building heritage, World Heritage sites as well as sites protected by the Act on the Protection of the Built Heritage.

The cuts and layoffs will cause delays in expert and official services: the processing times of permits, statements and grants, for example, will be longer. In addition to protecting the cultural environment, this affects the planning, zoning and construction of areas, infrastructure projects and, through their delay, society and the economy at large.

The processing of archaeological finds made by citizens will slow down significantly and result in an increased risk of ancient finds being lost. Resources for archaeological field work are also reduced, which is reflected in private and public construction projects.

The cuts will suspend important development projects in, for example, the use of digitalisation, especially artificial intelligence, in the cultural heritage sector. Falling behind in development reduces the opportunities for EU funding and the introduction of new operating models and innovations in the cultural heritage sector. Developing digitisation would also be a key part of national emergency preparedness.

The Finnish Heritage Agency is responsible for the national management and development of the museum industry to support the ability of museums to serve their customers, the region and society effectively. Due to the cuts, the agency will have fewer means to support museums in matters related to their operations, financing and structure.

State resourcing of cultural heritage work is in a critical state

The Finnish Heritage Agency began co-operation negotiations at the end of August for financial and production-related reasons. The deficit in the agency’s budget for 2025 consists of a permanent deficit in the framework, cuts allocated to the agency for 2025, loss of income arising during the extension of the National Museum and the continued lack of funding for expanded operations.

The agency’s resources are already scarce after the two previous co-operation negotiations and cuts that took place ten years ago. The special challenge of the agency’s financial structure is its considerable property costs, as the agency is responsible for museum and sightseeing sites that are classified as cultural-historical and strategic in the state’s leasing system, the rent costs of which the agency cannot influence itself.

“Cultural heritage is a resource for a sustainable society, as emphasised in the Government Resolution for the Cultural Heritage Strategy. Questions about cultural heritage have become increasingly important, especially in the current global situation. Unfortunately, the decisions we now have to make are in conflict with the needs and expectations of society,” says Tiina Merisalo, Director General of the Finnish Heritage Agency.

Further information:

• Tiina Merisalo, Director General of the Finnish Heritage Agency, tel. +358 (0)295 336 002, tiina.merisalo@museovirasto.fi

• Elina Anttila, Director General of the National Museum of Finland, tel. +358 (0)295 336 131, elina.anttila@kansallismuseo.fi