Construction begins on the New Aviation Museum in Finland

Construction of the New Aviation Museum will begin in April in Vantaa’s Aviapolis district in Finland. The Finnish Aviation Museum Foundation and contractor Lapti signed the agreement for the construction phase on Monday, 23 March 2026. The museum is set to open at the turn of the year 2027–2028.

The Finnish Aviation Museum is a national museum responsible for preserving and exhibiting the history of Finnish aviation. The new museum centre aims to attract over 100,000 visitors a year.

The New Aviation Museum’s modern exhibition spaces provide versatile opportunities to showcase the history and future of aviation. With a total area of approximately 7,000 m2, the building will accommodate exhibition spaces alongside event facilities, a café, a museum shop and other activity-related facilities such as flight simulators.

“The start of construction on the New Aviation Museum is a historic moment. This is not just about a new building, but about revitalising the entire cultural heritage of Finnish aviation for future generations. The project has progressed in close collaboration with the City of Vantaa, the Ministry of Education and Culture, and key players in the aviation industry, such as Finnair, Finavia, Patria, the Finnish Aeronautical Association and the Aviation Museum Society. We are now taking a step toward the era of the Aviation Museum – a place that brings together history, technology and visions of the future in both aviation and space in a way that inspires and resonates with a wide audience,” says Jarkko Konttinen, Chairman of the Finnish Aviation Museum Foundation.

During the preceding development phase, the plans for the museum were refined in close collaboration with the museum staff, construction experts, contractor Lapti, and the architect and technical designers.

“Throughout the development phase, we worked closely with the various project stakeholders to ensure that the museum’s facilities respond to users’ needs in the best possible way. The museum combines stunning architecture inspired by aviation with ambitious programmes to create a unique experience. We’re excited to move forward with the construction phase as planned," says Jarkko Pakkala, Regional Director at Lapti.

“Our goal is to create a museum that attracts visitors from around the world and offers engaging activities. Together, we’ve identified and developed cost-effective solutions that have allowed us to focus the project budget on creating spaces that support the museum’s activities. For example, by optimising the building’s structural frame, we’ve reduced the amount of steel used, which also helps minimise the museum’s environmental impact," explains Roope Haimila, Project Director at A-Insinöörit.

“I believe this project embodies the saying, well planned is half done. Thanks to our excellent collaboration, we’ve been able to achieve all of the project’s objectives from museum operations and the cityscape to cost and schedule management. It’s great that we’re able to get this fantastic construction project off the ground during these challenging times,” says Tuomas Silvennoinen, the project’s chief designer at PES-Architects.

The museum project brings together a vast amount of expertise and a broad network of supporters

The construction project will be implemented under a collaborative design and build contract. The Finnish Aviation Museum Foundation is the client for the New Aviation Museum project. Construction company Lapti is responsible for the planning, permit process and construction of the museum. PES-Architects acts as the principal and architectural designer of the building. A-Insinöörit is the project’s construction consultant and is also responsible for structural and acoustic design.

The New Aviation Museum will be built with funding from the state, the City of Vantaa and private sources. The museum is currently seeking additional private funding from foundations, businesses and individuals. The partners joining the project at this stage play a key role in making it possible to create an impactful, high-quality and memorable museum experience. The total project budget is 25 million euros.

The New Aviation Museum will be built adjacent to the current Aviation Museum in Vantaa’s Aviapolis, replacing the old museum. A covered walkway will connect the museum to the Aviapolis High School to be built next to it.