On opening day, Monday, 2 February 2026, the hall will be open to the public for free guided tours, which do not yet include swimming and sauna access. The familiar separate swimming times for men and women on different days of the week will resume on Tuesday, 3 February.
“The iconic Yrjönkatu swimming hall, the first of its kind in Finland, will be opened in a condition that it deserves. The renovation has preserved the history and traditions of the site, without compromising on current technical requirements and needs. Many residents will be delighted to see the opening of the Yrjönkatu Swimming Hall. It is a completely unique place that Helsinki residents can be sincerely proud of," says City of Helsinki Sports Director Tarja Loikkanen.
The renovations have preserved the cultural and architectural values of the building, while improving accessibility and modernising the building services and making them more environmentally friendly. There have been some visible changes – most notably the refurbishment of the lifeguards' control room and the cashier's lobby.
The renovation started in 2024. The project included the modernisation of technical systems and the repair of damaged facades, windows and doors. The insulation of the yard deck was renewed and the roof was repaired. The surface structures and water insulation in the washrooms and saunas were also replaced.
Services developed together with residents
The Yrjönkatu Swimming Hall will continue to offer the familiar spa ambiance: in addition to the beautiful pool areas with an early 20th century spa atmosphere, there are a variety of saunas, second floor relaxation cabins, group exercise facilities, a gym, saunas for hire and a meeting room. The hall will also feature a renovated café-restaurant service, which customers on the second floor of the hall will be able to enjoy. However, a new owner will be taking over the café-restaurant in the hall.
To support the renovation and service design of the swimming hall, residents were invited to share their wishes and views in a participation and service design workshop held in 2022.
By far the most important wish of the residents was to preserve the spirit and architecture of the historic swimming hall. In total, 986 suggestions were made, some related to accessibility and others to the overall customer experience, such as communications, signage, ticket sales and reservation systems.
Once open, you can still swim in the pool with or without a swimsuit. Women swim on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Men swim on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Nearly finished – new swimming hall projects on the way
The Yrjönkatu Swimming Hall site is undergoing an exciting phase of technology testing; everything must be up and running before the facilities can be opened. The building will be made available to the sports services in January, but the final touches will be put in place before the hall opens to the public.
The City is already working on the next swimming hall projects: The Itäkeskus Swimming Hall will be renovated and the construction of the new Jätkäsaari Swimming and Sports Centre is scheduled to start in 2026. In Malmi, the extension works of the Urheiluhallit Oy swimming hall are underway.
