The Theatre Museum was founded in 1962 and it is the museum with national responsibility for performing arts in Finland. The museum is governed by the Foundation of the Theatre Museum, a private entity founded by the City of Helsinki, the Central Organisation of Finnish Theatre Associations, and the Finnish Museum Association.

The Theatre Museum conducts its exhibition activities in its own premises at the Cable Factory in Helsinki, and through touring exhibitions, collaboration projects and online exhibitions. The Museum at the Cable Factory houses the permanent exhibitions It's Showtime and Arkadia Theatre and temporary exhibitions. The touring exhibitions displayed in other museums or cultural venues, loans from our collections, as well as the online exhibitions, all bring the cultural heritage of theatre and dance to the fore nationwide every year.

The Theatre Museum’s recording plan and collections policy are determined by its status as a museum with national responsibility. We maintain the national collection of Finnish theatre, dance, opera, circus and live art and performance primarily focusing on Finnish professional activities, as well as collecting material on organisations and professionals in the field.

Values and Goals of the Theatre Museum

The Theatre Museum’s values are contemporaneity, customer orientation, quality, curiosity and collaboration. The Museum’s functions demonstrate specialist knowledge, professionalism, reliability and ability to renew itself. As an expert on learning through theatre tools, we open new perspectives and insights on performing arts to our customers and tailor our services to their needs and wishes. We encourage our visitors to be curious and to consider new viewpoints.

Important dates in the history of the Theatre Museum

1962 Foundation of the Theatre Museum was founded.
1963 First exhibition was opened in the Balder building in Aleksanterinkatu.
1981 Theatre Museum started to be managed full time.
1983 Theatre Museum expanded its premises: the archive and the office moved to Snellmaninkatu 17.
1993 Museum received new spaces for the office, collections and exhibitions in the Cable Factory.
1994 Theatre Museum became a National Specialty Museum.
1999 New permanent exhibition and Research Room were opened after renovation and expansion in the Cable Factory.
2000 Finnish Theatre Information Centre awarded the Museum the Illusionist prize.
2001 Museum was awarded the Museum of the Year prize by the Council of Europe.
2018 The archives and the collections moved to Vallila, Helsinki.
2019 Circus and live art and performace were included in museum's recording plan.
2020 Theatre Museum became a museum with national responsibility.