Ilmatorjuntamuseo

About the museum

The founding of the Ilmatorjuntamuseo began in 1957 at Santahamina, in the former officers’ club building at Papinlahti. The museum is regarded as having been founded on 29 July 1961, and it was opened to the public on 4 June 1969. In 1967 the Anti-Aircraft School proposed to the Ministry of Defence that the Kapteeni Puustelli building in the Hyrylä garrison area be taken into museum use, and construction of the museum began with the support of voluntary national defence organisations, companies and private individuals.

The Ministry of Defence designated the museum a military-historical special museum in 1987. The main building soon became too small, and anti-aircraft equipment had to be kept outdoors. The first proper exhibition hall was completed in 1996 through voluntary community effort, and a second hall was opened on 4 June 2007.

Today the exhibitions are located in three buildings and a large outdoor area. The Tuusula hall presents anti-aircraft defence from 1925 to the present day, while the Helsinki hall covers anti-aircraft defence in the Winter War and the Continuation War and the defence against the major bombings of 1944. Kapteeni Puustelli is the oldest building in Tuusula, and its exhibition tells of the fates of people from Tuusula and of local military traditions.

Highlights

• Tuusula hall: anti-aircraft defence from 1925 to the present day, including the Bell P-39 Airacobra fighter
• Helsinki hall: anti-aircraft defence in the Winter and Continuation Wars and the defensive victory of 1944
• Kapteeni Puustelli, the oldest building in Tuusula
• Outdoor area with missile systems, radars and heavy guns
• Museum café and museum shop

Permanent exhibitions

• Tuusula-halli – The exhibition presents the anti-aircraft defence of the Finnish Defence Forces from the late 1920s to the present day, with its guns, fire-control systems, missiles and target drones.
• Helsinki-halli – The exhibition tells of anti-aircraft defence during the Winter War and the Continuation War, and of the defence against the great bombings of Helsinki in 1944.
• Kapteenin Puustelli – The exhibition in Tuusula’s oldest building tells of the fates of Tuusula’s people over the centuries and, through local military traditions, of Finland’s military traditions.

Founded

1961

Operated by

Ilmatorjuntasäätiö

Admission & discounts

Free admission: Veterans and soldiers in uniform enter free of charge.

Museokortti (Finnish Museum Card) is accepted.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The museum’s exhibitions can be visited by wheelchair. The Helsinki hall is on one level and its corridors are wide. A steel-frame wheelchair ramp was installed at Kapteeni Puustelli in 2024, and there is step-free access to the lower landing of the Tuusula hall through the lift door. The café’s accessible entrance is at the back; ask the café staff for advice. The museum accepts Vessapassi (toilet pass). The smell of oil from some of the equipment and the occasionally loud ventilation in the halls should be taken into account for visitors who are highly sensitive to stimuli. The museum is a smoke-free area.

Kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

There are school visits and learning materials for children and young people. The family ticket is cheaper than individual tickets.

Getting there & parking

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Restaurant: not available
• Museum shop

The museum café has 24 seats, and in summer there are tables outside. The café sells, among other things, coffee, tea, soft drinks, doughnuts and ice cream. Museum shop.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Corporate events

Up to 100 guests.

Meeting and seminar spaces: the lower landing of the Tuusula hall for up to about 100 people, the upper landing for about 40, the café for about 20 and Kapteeni Puustelli for about 12. Meeting technology is available. Arrangement fee during opening hours €40 per hour, outside opening hours €60 per hour; the whole Tuusula hall €450 per day or evening event.

Plan your visit