Studio Aalto

Why it matters

Studio Aalto at Tiilimäki 20 was built when Alvar Aalto’s growing practice outgrew the office at his nearby home. It remained the office of Aalto and his architects until his death in 1976; Elissa Aalto then led the practice here until 1994. The building now also houses the Alvar Aalto Foundation.

This is not a house museum arranged around domestic life. It is a purpose-built architectural workplace: a sequence of rooms calibrated for drawings, models, discussions and daylight. Its restrained exterior makes the spatial changes inside more effective.

Read the building

The street facade is deliberately high and nearly blank. Pass through it and the building curves around a wind-sheltered inner garden shaped as a small amphitheatre.

Look for these details during the tour:

• Slate steps and white wall: staff used the courtyard for lectures and slide projections.
• Curved main studio: its windows face the garden, while horizontal timber battens on the high walls held drawings for review.
• Drawing office: a narrow upper-floor space lit by a band of high-level windows, giving indirect natural light.
• Taverna: the 1962–63 extension added the staff dining room behind the brick wall, with an office above.
• Conference room: its sloping bay window and roof light were designed for inspecting models and drawings.

Visiting Studio Aalto

Entry is only on a guided tour. Visits take about one hour, including a 30–40 minute guided section and time to look around, photograph and sketch. Tours are generally offered Tuesday to Sunday, but times change with the season; reserve ahead, particularly for popular dates. Capacity is limited to 15 people.

Tours are held in English daily; Finnish tours run at weekends, with Japanese offered on selected dates. There is a museum shop and free Wi-Fi, but no café. Private, non-commercial photography is permitted without flash or tripod.

Arrival and access

Studio Aalto stands in Munkkiniemi at Tiilimäki 20, 00330 Helsinki. The nearest tram stop is Tiilimäki, about 300 metres away. There is no dedicated parking.

Important access note: the building has stairs and no wheelchair access. Large bags cannot enter the museum spaces. There is no indoor waiting room; the guide opens the door shortly before the tour, while the garden can be used for waiting. Aalto House is about 500 metres away if you are visiting both sites.