As an aviation nerd, I just had to visit the quite well-rated Finnish Aviation Museum (Suomen ilmailumuseo), which is located closeby Helsinki-Vantaa International Airport. Finally, I made it during my trip watching the SB-Pro 2018/19 season home opener against the Koovee Tampere.
Finnish Aviation Museum – Location & Admission
The museum is located in close proximity to the airport. It is more or less in walking distance, but it is likely not too easy to walk from the terminals. However, Aviapolis station is very close. There is sufficient (free) parking if you arrive by car.
Admission is 10 EUR for adults. A very interesting alternative is to pay 68 Euro and receive the Finnish Museum Card (external link), which includes a twelve month period free access to some 280 museums.
Finnish Aviation Museum – Military Aviation
The museum contains of two hangars, which are connected by a hallway. You start your visit at the military aviation part. The exhibition also includes a couple of planes which are rather used for military training than for defense. Some highlights are the Saab 35BS Draken, the I.V.L. A22 Hansa and the Polikarpov UTI-4. There is a total of 27 plane exhibits, some are in original state (even some crashed fuselage).
Finnish Aviation Museum – Civil Aviation
Hall 2 hosts the Civil Aviation exhibition. Honestly, I am much more in civil aviation. Thus, I spend much more time in this area. When you enter, the first eye-catchers are definitely the Lockheed 18-07 Lodestar and the Douglas DC-3, both originally operated by Kar-Air. Unfortunately, you cannot access these planes any more (the Lockheed seems to be stabilized).
A very interesting part of the exhibition are simulators and full-size cockpits. On the right of the entrance is a McDonnell Douglas DC-8 cockpit. In the opposite corners, you find several simulators. Some are for full pilot training, some contain a lot of dummy instruments and are so-called procedure trainers.
To me the highlight of the exhibition is the accessible Convair Metropolitan / Convair 340/440, OH-VKU, as used by Finnair. You may even sit in the seats. It is an amazing exhibit definitely.
The civil aviation area is really rich (which also somehow means that it feels quite packed). They even have galleys and jettainers there. There are also some helicopters, model planes and some old Helsinki-Vantaa air controls. One small exhibition shows the evolution of the capital’s airport. Last but not least, there are even small exhibitions on parachuting and a hot air balloon.
Finnish Aviation Museum – Flight Simulators
One of the highlights of the museum is definitely that there are three working flight simulators which you may try. You have to register beforehand and pay an additional charge and the prices are reasonable. The Messerschmitt BF 109-G2 simulator may even be used free of charge for ten minutes. However, not all controls were working – it might be more realistic if you pay the requested fee. The Saab 35A Draken simulator is a bit hidden, but closeby. This one can only be visited by appointment. It somehow feels that this simulator may not be in use currently.
The other two simulators are located near the entrance area. The most amazing simulator is likely the Piper Aztec, which has been built based on a real plane’s wreckage. In addition, there is a Diamond DA 42 simulator, which can be rented, but is fact still used for pilot training and thus owned by a partner company of the museum.
Finnish Aviation Museum – Outside Exhibits
Apart from the indoor exhibits, there are also three planes outside the buildings. The most obvious and prominent one is definitely the Finnish Airlines Douglas DC-3. Right next to it is the (comparably tiny) Cessna 172C. The third plane shown outdoors, the MiG-21, is quite hidden between the two hangars. None of the exhibits can be entered – you may, however, have a nice cockpit view through stairs at the MiG.
Finnish Aviation Museum – Other Services
There are also some services around the entrance area: first of all (of course), there is a souvenir shop. Not too surprising selection of books, model planes and some really nice t-shirts. Across the store, there is a small museum cafe which even serves lunch. Unfortunately, I have been too late to try them. The sanitary rooms are clean.
Finnish Aviation Museum – My View
The Finnish Aviation Museum is not as overwhelming as Sinsheim Technology Museum (or its sister outlet in Speyer), for sure. But if I for example compare it with the outpost of the “Deutsches Museum” in Schleissheim near Munich, it is an absolutely competitve Technical / Aviation Museum. Unfortunately, the hangars are really getting narrow, so that you cannot get as close to all exhibits as you would like to do. Thus, I felt it is unfair to assign five stars and a Top Pick to it. Nevertheless, if you go for a visit, you will definitely not leave disappointed. I stayed at the museum roughly 100 minutes – if you are especially interested in some details, it may be a much longer visit. Together with the SB-Pro match and my stay at Hilton Helsinki Kalastajatorppa, the museum completed a great weekend.
Finnish Aviation Museum – Gallery
As I liked the pictures of my visit that much, I decided to put them in a gallery, which allows you to review my pictures in larger scale
Finnish Aviation Museum – Link
Here is the informative (English) website of the Finnish Aviation Museum:
Technical Museums – Other Postings
Here are all other Flyctory.com postings dealing with technical museums and exhibitions:

Arabia Steamboat Museum

Henri Tudor Museum (Rosport, Luxembourg)

Andorra National Automobile Museum

Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum

Lane Motor Museum (Nashville)

American Space Museum (Titusville)

Dutch Railway Museum Utrecht

The Silverstone Interactive Museum

Umberto Panini Collection Motor Museum

Cyprus Railways Museum

Malta Aviation Museum

German Rail Museum (DB Museum) Nuremberg

Takis Pattichis Museum of Industrial Pharmacy (Limassol)

Phänomenta Lüdenscheid

BMW Museum Munich

German Röntgen Museum Remscheid

Rickmer Rickmers Museum Ship Hamburg

Ystafell Auto Museum (Iceland)

Polish Aviation Museum (Krakow)

Volandia Aviation Museum Milan

LWL Open Air Museum Hagen

Icelandic Aviation Museum (Akureyri)

DAF Museum Eindhoven

Al Aqah Heritage Village & Car Museum

Halton County Radial Railway / Streetcar Museum

Berlin Computer Games Museum

Museum of The Story of Alfa Romeo

Sharjah Off Road History Museum

Deutsches Museum Traffic Center (Verkehrszentrum)

Automobile & Toy Museum North Sea (Norden, Germany)

Erwin Hymer Museum

Porsche Museum Stuttgart

Lokwelt Freilassing

Jet Age Museum Gloucester

German Spy Museum Berlin

Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization

Elder Science Museum (Las Palmas)

MUDETEC / Museo delle Tecnologie (Sant’ Agata Bolognese)

Museum Ferrari Maranello

Auto & Traktor Museum Bodensee (Lake Constance)

Austrian Aviation Museum

Schleusenpark Waltrop-Henrichenburg – History of Naval Locks

German Oil Museum Wietze

Sharjah Maritime Museum

Enzo Ferrari House Museum Modena

Automuseum Wolfegg (Wolfegg Car Museum)

ESO Supernova Munich – Garching

Marconi Automotive Museum & Foundation

Bergisches Museum for Mining, Craft & Trade Bensberg

German Movie Museum Frankfurt

Lyon Air Museum Santa Ana

Cap San Diego Museum Ship Hamburg

A Walk Through Zeche Zollverein (Pictured Story – Essen, Germany)

Zeppelin Museum Zeppelinheim

Leonardo da Vinci Museum Venice

Siku & Audi-Museum Höing (Stadtlohn, Germany)

Georg Breusing Rescue Cruiser Emden

Aviodrome Lelystad (Netherlands)


Computer History Museum (Mountain View CA)


Museum Prototyp Hamburg


USS Requin – A Submarine in Pittsburgh


Louwman Museum The Hague


German Architecture Museum (Frankfurt)


Philips Museum Eindhoven


Carnegie Science Center Pittsburgh


Deutsches Museum Bonn


Zeppelin Museum Friedrichshafen


Hangar 7 (Salzburg, Austria – Pictured Story)


Miniatur Wunderland Hamburg


Dornier Museum Friedrichshafen


HomeComputerMuseum Helmond (Netherlands)


Pinball Hall of Fame (Las Vegas)



Imperial War Museums Duxford


McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum


Zeppelin Museum Meersburg


Nelson, Nevada – A Ghost Town


Visiting Indianapolis Motor Speedway


Sharjah Classic Car Museum



De Havilland Aircraft Museum (London Colney)


Arithmeum Bonn – A Museum about Calculations



Sharjah Al Mahatta Historic Airport Museum


Stockholm Police Museum


Titanic Belfast



Flugausstellung Peter Junior (Hermeskeil)


Stockholm Gaming Museum


Madrid Railway Museum


International Towing & Recovery Museum (Chattanooga TN)


Civil Defense Heritage Gallery (Singapore)


Concorde Technical Tour at Manchester Airport


Science History Institute Philadelphia


Platform 0 Chamberí – A Madrid Metro Ghost Station



National Emergency Services Museum Sheffield


National Videogame Museum Sheffield


Emirates Aviation Experience London


Alte Dombach Paper Mill



Speyer Technology Museum



Emirates National Auto Museum


Ratingen-Cromford Textile Factory


Deutsches Museum – Flugwerft Schleissheim



Willemstad – Maritime Museum and Harbour Tour


A Day at Sinsheim Technology Museum
Postings with Gallery
Here are all Flyctory.com postings, which come with a larger size picture gallery:


Home Free (20th September 2023, Hamburg)


CC 2024: SV Wiler-Ersigen – FbS Bohemians 5-3 (1-1, 2-3, 3-0) – Showdown 1-x


CC 2024: Floorball Köniz Bern – Tatran Stresovice 2-5 (1-1, 1-1, 0-3)


Randall King (15th September 2023, Cologne)


#TrueAthletes Classics Leverkusen 2023 – Track Events


#TrueAthletes Classics Leverkusen 2023 – Field Events


Ben Zucker (28th July 2023, Monheim)


German Athletics Nationals 2023 – Day 2 Track (9th July 2023)


German Athletics Nationals 2023 – Day 2 Field (9th July 2023)


German Athletics Nationals 2023 – Day 1 Field (8th July 2023)


German Athletics Nationals 2023 – Day 1 Track (8th July 2023)


Seepark Biker Days Pfullendorf 2023 – Day 3 Concerts (2nd July)


Seepark Biker Days Pfullendorf 2023 – Day 2 Concerts (1st July)


Seepark Biker Days Pfullendorf 2023 – Day 1 Concerts (30th June)


Rock of Ages UK Tour – A Personal Farewell and Thanks


The Deslondes (6th June 2023, Cologne)


Puffin Watching at Hafnarholmi in Northeast Iceland


Saturn Oil Open 2023: R. Ramanathan (IND) / N. Zimonjic (SRB) – D. Brown (JAM) / T. Sandkaulen (GER) 4-6 7-6(4) x-1(9-11))


Kip Moore (14th May 2023, Cologne)


Traveling on Iceland’s Ring Road (Reprise)


Walking the City Walls of Dubrovnik


The Longest Johns (21st April 2023, Cologne)


Dümptener Füchse – ETV Lady Piranhhas Hamburg 7-4 (3-0, 1-0, 3-4)


Rock of Ages Opening Night – Red Carpet Impressions


SSF Dragons Bonn – Red Devils Wernigerode 5-4 (2-2, 0-2, 3-0)


Matthias Reim (24th March 2023, Oberhausen)


Weird Al Yankovic tours Europe 2023 – My Reprise


Mitchell Tenpenny & Morgan Evans (3rd March 2023, Hamburg)


Weird Al Yankovic (19th February 2023, Tilburg)


Julian Taylor (15th February 2023, Cologne)


ISTAF Indoor Duesseldorf (29th January 2023)


Kane Brown (27th January 2023, Cologne)


Red Devils Wernigerode – Berlin Rockets 8-11 (1-2, 2-6, 5-3)


Red Devils Wernigerode – UHC Weissenfels 6-5 (2-3, 3-1, 1-1)


Brett Young (19th November 2022, Cologne)


Milky Chance (18th November 2022, Cologne)


Alexander Ludwig (2nd November 2022, Cologne)


Five Weird Al Yankovic Shows in Florida – Some Concert Pictures


Davis Cup Norway vs. India: Norway seals the Victory in doubles already


Davis Cup Norway vs. India: Norway in the Lead after Day 1


Davis Cup: Norway vs. India – Preview


Carly Pearce & Sarah Darling (12th September 2022, Hamburg)


Lindsay Ell (with Kyle Daniel & Shy Carter, 23rd August 2022, Cologne)


Gipsy Kings & More Than Words (11th August 2022, Cologne)


KölnTriangle Cologne View – a great View of Cologne


German Floorball Under 15 Girls – Final: Red Devils Wernigerode – Dümptener Füchse 5-4 SD (1-1, 3-3, 1-x)


German Floorball Under 15 Girls – P3 Match: SG Weissenfels/Jena – FBC Havel 6-9 (1-5)


German Floorball Under 15 Girls – P5 Match: FC Stern Munich – Sportvg Feuerbach 11-1 (2-1)


Johnossi (12th June 2022, Cologne)


Kicking Off The Weird Al Yankovic Tour 2022 (Day 5, 29.4.2022)


Kicking Off The Weird Al Yankovic Tour 2022 (Day 3, 27.4.2022)


Grand Ole Opry Show (18th March 2022)


The F35 Kjölur-Route in Iceland


KEC “Die Haie” Cologne – ESC Planegg-Würmtal 1-6 (1-2, 0-1, 0-3)


SSF Dragons Bonn – ETV Piranhhas Hamburg 4:6 (1:3, 0:3, 3:0)


Flying Norlandair from Akureyri (AEY) (not) to Grimsey (GRY)


German Cup: DJK Holzbüttgen – PSV 90 Black Wolves Dessau 14:1 (4:0, 4:0, 6:1)


F-Liiga Women: SB-Pro Nurmijärvi – TPS Turku 2-5 (1-3, 0-2, 1-0)


F-Liiga Women: EräViikingit – SSRA 7-2 (3-1, 1-0, 3-1)


F-Liiga Women: FBC Loisto – SB-Pro Nurmijärvi 4-6 (3-1, 0-2, 1-3)


F-Liiga Women: EräViikingit – Classic 3-1 (1-0, 1-0, 1-1)


Davis Cup Finland vs. India – Some Practice Session Views


Davis Cup Finland vs. India, Day 2: “Suomi” advances after Doubles


Davis Cup Finland vs. India: Finland in the lead after Day 1 Singles


Flying the PAD Aviation Embraer Phenom 300


MeerExpress – Flying the Air Shuttle to Norderney & Juist



Aviodrome Lelystad (Netherlands)


“Zärtliche Chaoten II” – exploring Gran Canaria 32 years later


Venice City Sightseeing by Vaporetto


bett1HULKS Championship 2020: Alexander Zverev (GER) – John Millman (AUS) 6-0 3-6 6-3


bett1HULKS Championship 2020: Sharan (IND) / Sandgren (USA) – Marach (AUT) / Pavic (CRO) 4-6 2-6


bett1HULKS Championship: Egor Gerasimov (BLR) – Daniel Altmaier (GER) 6-1 6-0


bett1HULKS Championship: Jordan Thompson (AUS) – Gilles Simon (FRA) 3-6 5-7


bett1HULKS Championship 2020: Sumit Nagal (IND) – Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB) 6-3 (4)6-7 1-6


bett1HULKS Indoors 2020: Davidovich Fokina / Verdasco (ESP) – Masur / Molleker (GER) 3-6 6-1 10-8


bett1HULKS Indoors 2020: Gonzales (MEX) / K. Skupski (GBR) – Nielsen (DEN) / Puetz (GER) 4-6 6-1 10-5


bett1HULKS Indoors 2020: Sharan (IND) / Withrow (USA) – Herbert / Mahut (FRA) 3-6 3-6



Imperial War Museums Duxford


Arcen Castle & Garden


Vliegtuigsuite Teuge (NED) – Sleeping in an Ilyushin IL-18


Frankfurt Airport during Covid-19


Planespotting at In-N-Out Burger Los Angeles Airport


C2C Country To Country Berlin – Day 3 (08.03.2020) – The Main Stage


C2C Country To Country Berlin – Day 3 (08.03.2020) – The Side Stages


C2C Country To Country Berlin – Day 2 (07.03.2020) – The Main Stage


C2C Country To Country Berlin – Day 2 (07.03.2020) – The Side Stages


C2C Country To Country Berlin – Day 1 (06.03.2020) – The Main Stage


C2C Country To Country Berlin – Day 1 (06.03.2020) – The Side Stages



De Havilland Aircraft Museum (London Colney)


Olivia Lane (8th February 2020, Hassocks / Brighton)


Brett Eldregde / Lauren Jenkins (29th January 2020, Amsterdam)


Brandy Clark (29th January 2020, Amsterdam)


Brett Eldredge / Lauren Jenkins (24th January 2020, Cologne)


SB-Pro Nurmijärvi – Classic Tampere 4:2 (0:1, 4:1, 0:0)


SB-Pro Nurmijärvi – Koovee Tampere 7:2 (2:1, 3:1, 2:0)


Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Abu Dhabi


Mount Washington and the Pittsburgh Inclines


Noah Guthrie (9th December 2019, Cologne)



Sharjah Al Mahatta Historic Airport Museum


James Barker Band (20th November 2019, Zurich)


Mrs. Greenbird (Frankfurt, 7th November 2019)


Ben Zucker & Van De Forst (6th November 2019, Cologne)


Willie Jones & Tyler Rich (29th October 2019, Cologne)


Dusseldorf Airport Photo Tour


Logan Mize (26th October 2019, Cologne)


Scotty McCreery (24th October 2019, Cologne)


Andy Clark (19th October 2019, Dusseldorf)


Sarah Darling, Kenny Foster, Robert Counts (13th October 2019, Frankfurt)


SSF Dragons Bonn – MFBC Leipzig/Grimma 0:3 (0:1, 0:0, 0:2)


DJK Holzbüttgen – SSF Dragons Bonn 9:8 (2:4, 3:2, 4:2)


Rock of Ages (Zons / Germany, 28th Sep 2019)


Loganair From Glasgow To Barra Airport (BRR)


Exploring Barra With Barra Island Tours


Lauren Jenkins & Austin Jenckes (16th September 2019, Amsterdam)


British Country Music Festival – Day 3 (15th Sep 2019)


British Country Music Festival – Day 2 (14th Sep 2019)


British Country Music Festival – Day 1 (13th Sep 2019)


Sound of Nashville Press Event & Logan Mize Concert (11th Sep 2019, Cologne)


Jillian Jacqueline & Lauren Jenkins (9th September 2019, Cologne)


Thompson Square (5th September 2019, Cologne)


Eric Paslay (3rd Sep 2019, Aschaffenburg)



Flugausstellung Peter Junior (Hermeskeil)


Wade Bowen (6th August 2019, Cologne)


SV Menden – 1. FC Köln 3:5 (0:3) (31st July 2019)


Weird Al Yankovic, Strings Attached Tour (Bank of NH Pavilion, Gilford, 18th July 2019)


Elvis Presley’s Graceland – The Exhibitions


Elvis Presley’s Graceland – The Mansion


Maren Morris & RaeLynn GIRL Tour 2019 in Amsterdam (22nd May 2019)


Two Light Shows at Marina Bay


Visiting the Abu Dhabi Presidential Palace



National Emergency Services Museum Sheffield


UHC Laupen U21 – Red Ants Rychenberg U21 7:1 (2:1, 4:0, 1:0)


SSF Dragons Bonn – TV Schriesheim 5:8 (1:1, 3:1, 1:6)


Country 2 Country in London 2019


“Sound of Nashville” in Cologne (6th March 2019)


Country 2 Country 2019 in Berlin


Flying with Southern Airways Express


Dubai Miracle Garden – A flowerful Wonderland


Danielle Hope at “The Crazy Coqs” (London, 17th Feb 2019)


WFCQ 2019: Germany – Russia 8:4 (4:1, 3:3, 1:0)


WFCQ 2019: Finland – Austria 37:0 (12:0, 10:0, 15:0)


WFCQ 2019: Hungary – Netherlands 4:1 (1:1, 1:0, 2:0)


WFCQ 2019: Slovakia vs. Latvia 5:3 (2:1, 3:2, 0:0)


WFCQ 2019: Netherlands – Latvia 2:11 (1:5, 0:2, 1:4)


WFCQ 2019: Slovakia – Hungary 12:1 (3:0, 5:1, 4:0)


WFCQ 2019: Russia – Finland 1:18 (1:2, 0:13, 0:3)


WFCQ 2019: Austria – Spain 5:5 (2:0, 3:2, 0:3)


WFCQ 2019: Austria – Russia 4:13 (1:3, 1:5, 2:5)


WFCQ 2019: Netherlands – Slovakia 2:8 (0:1, 1:5, 1:2)


WFCQ 2019: Spain – Germany 3:6 (0:1, 1:3, 2:2)


Red Lions Frauenfeld – Kloten-Dietlikon Jets 3:12 (0:4, 1:5, 2:3)


Floorball Riders DBR – UH Appenzell 5:4 (3:2, 2:1, 0:1)


Täby FC – Pixbo Wallenstam IBK 7-0 (3-0, 2-0, 2-0)


FBI Tullinge – Hagunda IF 4-5 SD (0-1, 1-2, 3-1, 0-1)


CC 2019: Men’s Final: Storvreta IBK – SC Classic 3-10 (1-3, 1-3, 1-4)


CC 2019: Women’s Final: Vitkovice – IKSU 3-8 (1-2, 2-4, 0-2)


CC 2019: Men’s Place 3: Florbal Mlada Bolesav – Floorball Köniz 2-9 (1-4, 1-3, 0-2)


CC 2019: Storvreta IBK – Florbal Mlada Bolesav 10-5 (2-0, 3-3, 5-2)


CC 2019: Women’s Place 3: SB-Pro Nurmijärvi – Piranha Chur 5-3 (2-1, 0-1, 3-1)


CC 2019: IKSU – Piranha Chur 11-5 (6-1, 1-1, 4-3)


CC 2019: SB-Pro Nurmijärvi – 1. SC TEMPISH Vitkovice 4-5 SD (2-0, 1-4, 1-0, 0-1)


CC 2019: SC Classic – Floorball Köniz 7-1 (3-0, 1-1, 3-0)



Speyer Technology Museum



Emirates National Auto Museum


Red Ants Rychenberg – UHC Waldkirch-St.Gallen U21A 4:3 (2:1, 1:1, 1:1)


Red Ants Rychenberg – UHC Laupen 2:4 (2:1, 0:3, 0:0)


SB-Pro Nurmijärvi – Koovee Tampere 11-3 (4-0, 3-2, 4-1)


Catherine McGrath at Arts Club Loft Liverpool


Davis Cup Serbia vs. India: Day 3


Davis Cup Serbia vs. India: Day 2


Davis Cup Serbia vs. India: Day 1


Davis Cup Serbia vs. India: Preview


Floorball Bundesliga: DJK Holzbüttgen – ETV Piranhhas Hamburg 2:7 (1:3, 0:4, 1:0)


US Open (Tennis) – 1st September 2018


US Open (Tennis) – My Day – 31st August 2018


Casa Loma (Toronto)


Riding the Hogwarts Express


CN Tower and Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada


Bata Shoe Museum


SV Menden – 1. FC Köln 0:1 (0:1) (2018 pre-season)


Willemstad – the Colorful Capital


Kura Hulanda Museum – Not just about Carribean Slavery


Curacao Ostrich Farm


One Day in Bonaire


Visiting the Home of the Curacao Liqueur Factory



Willemstad – Maritime Museum and Harbour Tour


Finnish Superfinal (Men): Classic – Happee 6:2 (0:2, 4:0, 2:0)

