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Accessibility

Welcome to Helsinki Biennial! On this page you’ll find information about the accessibility of the biennial. You’ll also find details about the accessibility of the various exhibition sites, getting to Vallisaari, toilet facilities, and a gradient map of the terrain.

You can experience Helsinki Biennial at HAM Helsinki Art Museum, in Esplanade Park, and on the island of Vallisaari. All the exhibition sites are shown on this map.

We are constantly updating the information provided. Please feel free to send any questions and feedback to: helsinkibiennial@hamhelsinki.fi

For questions related to accessibility, you can also contact the Helsinki Biennial customer service number: +358 40 509 4958 (Tue–Sun 10:00–18:00).

HAM Helsinki Art Museum

Address: Eteläinen Rautatiekatu 8, 00100 Helsinki

HAM is located at Tennis Palace in central Helsinki, next to Kamppi shopping centre. You can access HAM easily by public transport from any part of the Helsinki metropolitan area.

Tennis Palace is accessible.

Key accessibility information for HAM Helsinki Art Museum

Esplanade Park

Address: Eteläesplanadi & Pohjoisesplanadi, 00170 Helsinki

Esplanade Park is located in the heart of Helsinki, just a few minutes’ walk from Helsinki Central railway station and the Market Square (Kauppatori). The park is easy to reach by foot, bike, or public transport.

There are no accessible parking spaces at Esplanade Park.

Esplanade Park is an accessible site.

The public toilet on the western side of the park is accessible and also suitable for wheelchair users.

Vallisaari Island

Vallisaari Island is located just 25 minutes by ferry from Helsinki’s Market Square, which is easy to reach by foot, bike, or public transport.

The scheduled ferry service to Vallisaari leaves from Keisarinluoto pier on the Market Square.

Access to the ferry boarding platform is via a wooden ramp. The ramp is at an angle of approximately 29 degrees.

There is a Helsinki Biennial info point in the Market Square, and this info point is fitted with an induction loop.

You can loan hearing protectors, walking poles, hiking chairs, binoculars, and children’s backpacks from the info point.

On Vallisaari, the accessible pier is located at Torpedolahti. The ferry first stops at Luotsipiha pier, before continuing to Torpedolahti, where accessible disembarkation is possible.

  • The metal ramp at the lower end of Torpedolahti pier is at an angle of 20 degrees, although this varies depending on the water level.
  • The upper part of the ramp is at an angle of 14.5 degrees.

Ferries

The ferries to and from the island are managed by FRS Finland. Ferry schedules can be found on the FRS Finland Website.

There are two ferries that run to Vallisaari: Isosaari II and Gädda. On Mondays, the island is only served by Isosaari II. During the opening hours of the biennial, Isosaari II will leave from the Market Square on the hour, while Gädda will depart at half past the hour.

We recommend using Gädda for accessible journeys.

The ferry operator recommends bringing an assistant where necessary. Assistants travel free of charge on the ferry.

For questions relating to the accessibility of the ferries, please contact the ferry operator:

FRS Finland, +358 10 202 3780 (Mon–Fri 09:00–15:00), info@frs-finland.fi

Photos: HAM / Helsinki Biennial / Sonja Hyytiäinen

Getting around the island

The routes are generally surfaced with sand and in places with stones. It is not possible to avoid uneven parts of the routes that are surfaced with stones. The route around the biennial pieces does not feature any outdoor stairs, but there are stairs at the entrances to and within indoor spaces. The terrain is hilly and rough in places. The weather conditions affect the evenness, hardness, and slipperiness of the routes.

Guide dogs and assistance dogs are welcome on Vallisaari, just like any other dogs. Dogs must be kept on a lead. Dogs are not permitted in any of the indoor spaces.

The Helsinki Biennial artworks are indicated with signs. The signs feature QR codes that will take you to the biennial’s website for more information about each piece. The Metsähallitus signs on the island also provide guidance for visitors.

Topographic map of Vallisaari

Metsähallitus’s map of Vallisaari

Accessible toilets on Vallisaari Island

The island has a number of accessible toilets, which are shown on this map.

Picnic area toilet

  • The threshold is more than 2 cm high.
  • The room has free space for moving around: 68 cm to the left of the toilet and 75 cm to the right.
  • There is 1.3 m of free space for turning with mobility aids.
  • The height of the toilet seat is 45 cm.
  • There is a horizontal handle at a height of 90 cm.
  • There is a coat hook at a height of 1.4 m.

Torpedo Bay toilet

  • The threshold is 2.5 cm high.
  • The door is 93 cm wide.
  • There is 1.3 m of free space for turning with mobility aids.
  • There is no space for moving around to the left of the toilet.
  • The height of the toilet seat is 45 cm.
  • There is a support rail at a height of 80 cm.
  • The sink is at a height of 83 cm.
  • The knee room depth is 40 cm.

Luotsipiha toilet

  • The entrance ramp is at an angle of approx. 5 degrees.
  • The width of the door is 98 cm.
  • There is no turning space to the left of the toilet.
  • The sink is at a height of 85 cm.
  • The hand dryer is at a height of 111 cm.
  • The paper hand towel dispenser is at a height of 133 cm.
  • The height of the light switch is at a height of 112 cm.

Art Workshop

The Helsinki Biennial art workshop is located on a sandy area in Kuolemanlaakso.

  • There is a ramp leading to double doors, and this ramp is at an angle of approx. 6 degrees.
  • The width of the double doors is 167 cm.

The Helsinki Biennial Shop

The Helsinki Biennial shop is located on a sandy area in Kuolemanlaakso.

  • The ramp to the terrace and from the terrace to the entrance is at an angle of approximately 12 degrees.
  • The width of the doors is approx. 95 cm.

Artwork sites on Vallisaari Island

There are a total of 27 art entities on display on Vallisaari, with 10 of those located indoors in basements and the Alexander Battery (Aleksanterinpatteri). Please note that the indoor spaces may not be well lit.

The biennial’s customer service assistants will help visitors navigate the stairs and thresholds at the entrances to the exhibition spaces, if necessary.

The numbers refer to the piece location numbers shown on this map.

Outdoor pieces

6. Pia Sirén: Under Cover

  • A good spot for viewing this piece is the sandy area in front of the Pilot’s House (Luotsitalo).

7. Hans Rosenström: Tidal Tears

  • There are lots of rocks on the path up the hill to the piece, and the path also has a camber.
  • A narrow path leads from the path to the piece.

8. Tue Greenfort: Limulus Polyphemus Lampisaari (Pond Island)

  • The piece is located at the top of a hill on the shoreline.
  • The path to the shoreline is uneven and with a significant camber.

10. Nomeda & Gediminas Urbonas: Futurity Island

  • The piece is located on old stone foundations, which are accessed via a wooden ramp. The ramp is at an angle of approximately 20 degrees.
  • The terrain around the foundations is meadow-like grassland and it is uneven.
  • The exit ramp away from the foundations is at an angle of approx. 9 degrees.
  • The path also offers a good view of the piece.

11. Gunzi Holmström: From the Dark into the Great Blue Yonder

  • The piece is located along the Alexander Tour (Aleksanterinkierros) path.
  • The path offers a good view of the piece.

12. Raimo Saarinen: Invasive Scent

  • The piece, which comprises scents concealed in hollow tree trunks, is located along the path in several different locations.
  • The pieces are intended to be experienced from the route.

13. LOCUS: Zostera Marina’s song of increase

  • The piece is located in Vallisaari’s pond.

14. Tania Candiani: Sonic Seeds

  • The instrument can be moved with a cord.
  • The piece features a wooden viewing platform with wooden amplifiers. The amplifiers are at heights of 135 cm and 155 cm.
  • The threshold to access the viewing platform is approx. 15 cm high.

16. Sara Bjarland: Stranding

  • The sculptures that make up this sculptural installation are situated around the bedrock, so there are a lot of different levels.
  • There are also two stairs when going down onto the bedrock.

20. Ernesto Neto: SaariBird

  • This piece is located in the yard of the Alexander Battery.
  • The terrain in the yard is grass that has been cut short.

27. Carola Grahn: Vaeralden Olmai

  • The path to this piece is uneven and with a camber.
  • There is a natural rampart on the way to the piece. This is at an angle of 25 degrees on the side where the piece of art is and 15 degrees on the side where the path is.

29. Laura Põld: Külmking. Resting Within Puddles and Branches

  • A stone path leads from the route to the piece.

30. Saskia Calderón: Coro de la Selva (Jungle Choir) & Sonata Vallisaari (Sonnet for Vallisaari)

  • This piece can be heard in the inner courtyard of the building Esikuntatalo. The terrain here is an uneven, meadow-like lawn.
  • The yard has benches with backrests.

31. nabbteeri: a suitable host

  • A gravel road leads to this piece.
  • The intention is for visitors to view the piece from the path.

32. Olafur Eliasson: Viewing machine

  • This piece is located on the strip of land leading to Kuninkaansaari.
  • The path is damaged and uneven in places.
  • Viewing machine has a viewing height of 135 cm.

Indoor pieces

9. Geraldine Javier: Witness

  • There are lots of rocks on the path up the hill to the piece, and the path also has a camber.
  • The space in which this piece is located is accessible only by stairs.
  • The door has a threshold 13 cm high, while the corridor is 92 cm wide. The ramp is at an angle of 13 degrees.

15. Tania Candiani: Subterra (Subterranean)

  • There are lots of loose stones on the hill going to the piece.
  • The pieces are located in two separate spaces in the powder magazine.
  • The thresholds at the entrances are 18 cm and 16 cm.
  • The width of the doorway is 1 m.
  • Inside the building there are steep ramps into both spaces.
  • The spaces are only dimly lit.
  • The sound environment of the work is intense. Hearing protection is available upon request.
  • There is no induction loop in the spaces.

17. Kati Roover: Songs in the Ocean

  • This video installation is located in an ammunition store.
  • The threshold of the external doorway is 16 cm high and the doorway over 1 m wide.
  • The threshold into the space is 6 cm high and the angle of the ramp is 20 degrees. There is also a threshold at the bottom of the ramp.
  • The video has subtitles available in Finnish, Swedish, and English. Swedish-language subtitles can be accessed by scanning a QR code.
  • There is a bench in this space.
  • There is no induction loop in the space.

18. Juan Zamora: To Embody an Island

  • The threshold to enter the powder magazine is 5 cm, while the threshold at the exit is 6 cm.
  • The width of the door is over 1 m.
  • Please note that the room is very dark.

19. Band of Weeds: Weep of Trees

  • This piece is located inside a greenhouse.
  • The threshold of the double doors is 11 cm high.
  • The width of the doors is 65 cm.
  • There is a bench inside the greenhouse.
  • There is no induction loop connected to this piece.

28. Katie Holten: Learning to be Better Lovers (Forest School)

  • The installation is located inside an old fire station building.
  • There is a steep ramp of 28 degrees into the space, and it has deep ruts.
  • There are thresholds on both sides, the inner threshold is 4 cm high.

Pieces in the Alexander Battery:

The threshold to enter the Alexander Battery is 8 cm high. There is grass growing on the threshold, which reduces the height difference between the threshold and the ground. The width of the door at the entrance is 108 cm.

The route within the Alexander Battery runs along wooden platforms. The minimum width of the platforms is 90 cm, and they feature ramps at angles of 8–10 degrees.

The route includes thresholds of 2.5–3.5 cm in height. The wooden platforms may have slight cambers.

There is no induction loop in these spaces.

21. Kristiina Koskentola: Murder of Crows

  • There is a bench in this space.
  • The video has subtitles available in Finnish, Swedish, and English. Swedish-language subtitles can be accessed by scanning a QR code.

22. Paul Rosero Contreras: The Garden of Forking Paths

  • The soundscape of this piece may feature loud and irregular audio elements.

23. Tue Greenfort: Ohrenqualle, lat. Aurelia Aurita I-VII and Periphylla Periphylla I

24. Tamara Henderson: Worm Affair

25. Theresa Traore Dahlberg: Signals Beyond

  • This space does not have 1.5 m of free room to serve as a turning circle.

26. Ana Teresa Barboza: Interwoven Stories

  • The piece is located in the eastern part of the Alexander Battery. The hill to the eastern side is uneven.
  • The entrance threshold is approx. 5 cm high and the step about 15 cm.
  • There is also a threshold and camber inside.