Things to Do at Aboa Vetus & Ars Nova

Aboa Vetus & Ars Nova is one of those rare places where you literally walk through layers of history - and I mean that quite literally. The museum sits above genuine medieval ruins discovered during construction in the 1990s, creating this fascinating juxtaposition between ancient Turku and contemporary art. You'll find yourself moving between 700-year-old stone foundations and cutting-edge modern installations, which sounds jarring but actually works surprisingly well. The 'Aboa Vetus' (Old Turku) section takes you through authentic archaeological remains where you can see how people lived, worked, and died in medieval times. Meanwhile, 'Ars Nova' (New Art) showcases contemporary Finnish and international art in galleries that somehow manage to complement rather than compete with the ancient stones below. It's the kind of place where you might find yourself contemplating a modern sculpture while standing next to a 14th-century well - oddly poetic, really.

The museum sits right in Turku's city center, about a 10-minute walk from the main market square. If you're coming by train from Helsinki, it's roughly a 15-minute walk from Turku Central Station - just head toward the river and you'll hit the city center. Local buses stop nearby, and there's street parking if you're driving, though the city center can get congested. The building itself is pretty distinctive with its modern glass facade, so you're unlikely to miss it.