Welcome to Naivistit Iittalassa – Finland’s foremost naive art destination

Discover Finnish naive art in Iittala village

Step inside a historic wooden schoolhouse in Iittala village and discover the colourful and surprising world of Finnish naive art.

Naivistit Iittalassa brings together humour, memories, storytelling and close observations of everyday life. Located next to the Lasimäki area in the centre of the village, the exhibition is within easy reach of Helsinki, Tampere and Hämeenlinna.

Together with the other attractions of Iittala village, Naivistit Iittalassa makes an ideal day-trip destination, with art, design, glassmaking, shops and a café all within easy walking distance.

A pioneering centre for Finnish naive art in Iittala

The first Naivistit Iittalassa summer exhibition was organised by Aira and Kalevi Heinänen in 1989. What began with their deep interest in naive art has developed into an established annual exhibition and a meeting place for artists and visitors from across Finland.

For nearly four decades, the exhibition has played a pioneering role in introducing Finnish naive art to wider audiences and supporting the artists who create it. Today, the exhibitions are organised by the Naivistit Iittalassa Foundation.

What is naive art?

Naive art is not a single, fixed style. It is often characterised by direct and individual expression, vivid colours, abundant detail and unconventional approaches to perspective.

Its subjects are frequently drawn from everyday life, nature, personal experiences and memories. Humour, fantasy and emotional depth often exist side by side. A work may appear immediately accessible while revealing new stories and details each time it is viewed.

Although many naive artists are self-taught, the appeal of naive art does not lie in a lack of training, but in its freedom, inventiveness and distinctive personal expression.

The international roots of naive art can be traced to the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, when self-taught artists such as Henri Rousseau began to gain recognition. Their work offered an alternative to the established traditions of academic art.

The character of Finnish naive art

Finnish naive art often draws inspiration from forests, lakes, cottages, saunas, animals and the changing seasons. Village life, celebrations, childhood memories and ordinary encounters also provide an endless source of stories.

These familiar subjects are often transformed through fantasy, unusual scale, unexpected details and gentle humour. The humour may also carry a quiet critical edge. Personal stories and memories lie at the heart of many works.

Our exhibitions

Summer exhibition

Our summer exhibition is open daily from mid-May until late August. Each year, it presents works by around fifty contemporary artists. Hundreds of works fill the rooms of the old schoolhouse, and the selection changes every summer. Returning visitors can therefore discover new works while also encountering familiar artists and themes.

Winter exhibition

From mid-November until the end of February, our winter exhibition focuses on selected artists, themes, projects and aspects of the history of naive art. During the winter exhibition, groups may also visit on weekdays by prior arrangement.

At both the summer and winter exhibitions, children can explore the art with a fun search-and-find activity. They are invited to look for particular characters, objects and details hidden within the works on display.

A ten-minute introduction to the exhibition in Finnish or English can be arranged for groups when booked in advance.

Summer exhibition 2026 – Homecoming

18 May–30 August 2026

Open daily 10:00–18:00

The 2026 summer exhibition brings together fifty contemporary artists under the theme Homecoming. The exhibition features more than 500 works, primarily works of naive art, including paintings, sculptures, prints and works in other media.

The artists approach homecoming from many different perspectives. The works explore journeys and returns, the peaceful atmosphere of home, close relationships, people and things we cherish, and the importance of forests and lakes as places of belonging.

The exhibition is curated by Tampere-based artist and curator Emmi Kallio, whose expressive paintings are characterised by bold colours, energetic brushwork and a distinctive personal style.

Describing the theme, Kallio says:

“We all need a home – a place where we are accepted as we are and are always welcome to return, even after a long absence. The naive artists of Iittala form a community of like-minded people: a home whose door is always open. The exhibitions change from year to year, but the old schoolhouse welcomes both old and new members of its community back home. Visitors, too, return to Iittala summer after summer.”

Winter exhibition 2026–2027

14 November 2026–28 February 2027

Open Saturdays and Sundays, 11:00–15:00

Plan your visit

Location

Iittala village is located 118 kilometres from Helsinki, 25 kilometres from Hämeenlinna and 55 kilometres from Tampere.

Naivistit Iittalassa is located next to the Lasimäki area in Iittala village: Hollaajantie 2, 14500 Iittala

The exhibition is housed in a historic school building completed in 1924, which once served as a primary school in the former municipality of Kalvola.

Arriving by train

Naivistit Iittalassa is 700 metres from Iittala train halt. You can plan your journey and purchase tickets on VR’s English-language website: https://www.vr.fi/en

Arriving by bus

Local buses from Hämeenlinna stop in the centre of Iittala village, less than 500 metres from the exhibition. You can plan your journey and purchase tickets on Matkahuolto’s English-language website: https://www.matkahuolto.fi/en

Accessibility

The accessible entrance is on the courtyard side of the wooden schoolhouse and can be reached via a wheelchair ramp.

Visitors presenting an EU Disability Card pay the concessionary admission fee. One accompanying assistant, support person or carer is admitted free of charge. Service dogs are welcome.

The building has one accessible toilet. Most of the exhibition spaces on the ground floor are accessible, although a few smaller corner rooms cannot be reached by wheelchair.

The upper floor can only be reached by stairs. The artworks displayed upstairs can also be viewed on a large screen in the first exhibition room on the ground floor.

Parking

Parking for cars and coaches is available in the large Lasimäki car park, approximately 200 metres from the exhibition.

Outside school hours, including weekends and school holidays, visitors may also use the car park beside Iittala Comprehensive School.

Electric vehicle charging points are available in the Lasimäki car park next to the Iittala Store and at the St1 service station near the motorway.

Art and gifts to take home

Many of the works displayed in our exhibitions are available to purchase. Works in the main exhibition galleries remain on display until the exhibition closes and can be collected afterwards. Delivery can be arranged within Finland, but we do not ship artworks abroad.

Our shop in the entrance hall also offers original artworks that can be purchased and taken home immediately.

The shop features products by local artisans, including ceramics, textiles, wooden objects and jewellery. The selection also includes art-inspired gifts, postcards, posters, books, games, T-shirts, home accessories and high-quality art materials.

Sustainability

The Naivistit Iittalassa Foundation contributes to cultural sustainability by presenting and preserving Finnish naive art, supporting artists from across Finland and maintaining the historic wooden schoolhouse in which the exhibitions are held.

The foundation works with local businesses and service providers whenever possible, and the shop features products made by local artisans. We sort and recycle waste and work to improve accessibility within the limitations of the historic building.

Make a day of your visit

Iittala village offers several other places to explore. The viewing balcony at the Iittala Glass Factory, the Iittala Store, local artisan shops and Kaffeli & Köökki café are all within walking distance of the exhibition.

For current information about the village, its attractions and services, visit Iittala village website