Welcome to Harakka, an island of nature experiences and art!

Harakka Nature Centre is open all summer season from Tuesday to Sunday

Harakka island provides an easy way to discover Helsinki’s archipelago nature. The sea voyage from Ullanlinnanlaituri marina to Harakka takes only a few minutes. The City of Helsinki’s archipelago nature centre on the island is open 2 May–30 September 2026 from Tuesday to Sunday at 10.00–17.00. The nature centre is closed on Mondays, Ascension Day and Midsummer.

Start your island excursion at the nature centre's archipelago exhibit, examine plankton under a microscope and borrow binoculars and loops for your visit. The archipelago birdlife is easy to observe from the island’s birdwatching platform and bird hide.

The brackish water aquariums that open in late May are an excellent way to learn more about the flora and fauna of the Baltic Sea. Children can also immerse themselves in the world beneath the waves through reading and play at fairy tale house Vellamo, which offers costumes to try on and stuffed sea life to enhance the experience. The staff of the nature centre will provide guidance on how to move on the island. You can also check out the Litter Trail checkpoint trail, which provides information on the environmental impacts of litter.

Free guided tours and events suitable for the whole family

In 2026, Harakka Nature Centre will organise more than 30 free nature tours and guided walks on the island. During these tours and walks, nature guides will provide you with information on the island's birds, plants, insects and geology and introduce the whole family to marine biology in a hands-on way.

Every other Sunday in summer, families with children can take part in an island adventure trip held by environmental educators. On Saturdays, you can also join an hour-long tour of the island, during which you will learn more about the island and the nature centre from the weekend guide.

The nature tours and island adventures start from the Harakka quay area. The island tours on Saturdays start in front of the nature centre.

On Helsinki Day, 12 June, the Nature Centre and the island's artists are jointly organising a nature and art event for the whole family. There is a free ferry service to the event. In the autumn, on 6 September, the island will be hosting a fish day for the whole family, during which participants will get to learn about the fish species of the Baltic Sea, fishing and how to handle fish.

You do not need to register in advance for the guided tours and events.

Explore exhibitions by the artists of Harakka

The annual summer of exhibitions of Harakka’s artists kicks off in May at Galleria Lennätin with Annette Arlander's video work The Slow Goodbye – With the Juniper on Harakka. The work is also a wistful farewell to the island and its artistic community.

This summer, many of the artists who have worked on Harakka for a long time will hold their last exhibitions in the island's exhibition spaces in Lennätin and the casemates.

May is also the time to celebrate Impossible Week. This year, the theme of this annual art event is Lines of Flight. The event will feature a variety of artists from different fields who will explore the topic from different perspectives.

The summer of exhibitions continues well into the autumn. For more information on exhibitions and other events, please see the artists' exhibition calendar.

Early summer nature experiences on the birds’ terms

On Harakka island, life follows the rhythm of nature. Some parts of the island's trails are temporarily closed during the bird nesting season in spring/summer. The staff of the nature centre will advise you on how to move on the island. You can also find up-to-date instructions on the island’s information board. During the bird nesting season, 1 April–15 August, the protected southern tip of the island is closed off to people.

The stairs in the island's nature reserves and the birdwatching hide in the southern part of the island will be replaced in late summer, after the birds have stopped nesting. The new bird hide will better serve environmental education groups in the future.

Meeting facilities and arrival

It is also possible to hold meetings on Harakka island. You can book the auditorium or the library of the Artists' House through the City of Helsinki’s booking service Varaamo from 22 April onwards. For more information about meeting arrangements, please contact the island’s building caretaker ( info@saarivahtimestari.fi(Link opens default mail program)).

Harakka island can be reached by ferry from Ullanlinnanlaituri marina in Kaivopuisto (Ehrenströmintie 3). Raise up the white wooden sign at the marina five (5) minutes before the departure time of the ferry. The ferry departs approximately every half hour.

Please note that pets are not allowed on the island.