Aboa Vetus & Ars Nova

The Aboa Vetus and Ars Nova Museum is located in downtown Turku, Finland. The museum is situated in the Rettig palace, which was constructed in 1928. Aboa Vetus is a medieval-era city museum, whilst Ars Nova is a modern art museum. The stone elephant sculpture outside distinguishes this museum on the Turku riverfront. The museum is divided into three divisions. The first is the medieval town ruins and artifacts uncovered during archaeological digs, which transport tourists back to old Turku when it was still known as Abo. The second is the temporary display room, which showcases the work of various artists. The third section is devoted to modern art, which contains works by Picasso and Warhol, among others.

The museum was established in 1885 as two separate institutions. Originally, simply Ars Nova, the modern art museum, was planned, but during construction, a variety of buildings and relics going back to the Middle Ages were unearthed, and the archaeological investigation that was commissioned became Aboa Vetus. The two museums were joined in 2004, and Aboa Vetus & Ars Nova is currently one of the most popular tourist destinations in the entire Southwest Finland region.

Location: Itäinen rantakatu 4-6, 20700 Turku, Southwest Finland

Website: aboavetusarsnova.fi/en