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Uniarts Helsinki’s new building opening hours are introduced on 1 August 2025

News

Uniarts Helsinki will begin a year-long experiment with its new building opening hours starting from 1 August 2025. In May 2026, the university will review the effects of the change and whether some aspects need to be reconsidered. After the year-long experiment, a decision will be confirmed on permanent opening hours.

Update on 17 April 2025: The new opening hours have sparked up a discussion among students. The Student Union published a statement regarding the matter on 15 April. Uniarts Helsinki published a response to the Student Union’s statement on 17 April. It provides more information about the reasons for the decision and the university’s financial rebalancing measures. Read the university’s response.

Later this spring, students and staff can participate in an info session where they will hear more about the changes. The date and time will be announced on the Artsi intranet and on the Students’ Uniarts website.

Three key changes to the opening hours

The key changes to the opening hours include

  1. limiting the nighttime use of campus buildings, with all buildings staying closed from 0:00 (midnight) to 6:00 in the morning,
  2. shortening the public opening hours of the buildings
  3. limiting the opening hours over the weekends.

Staff and students at Uniarts Helsinki are still allowed to use the facilities in the evenings and over the weekends using their personal access control tags. Nighttime use is no longer possible apart from some exceptions.

The goal of the change is to harmonise the visiting times of campus facilities and to ensure that info desks are open when needed and closed when only staff is present in the building. Limiting nighttime use also supports students’ wellbeing and allows them to rest at night and helps the university save energy and expenses from nighttime surveillance.
 

Nighttime use is only permitted with special authorisation

After the changes are introduced, nighttime use of the facilities will only be permitted with special authorisation. Authorisation may be granted in the following cases:

Permanent authorisation:

  1. Piano tuners, who begin work between 0:00 and 6:00
  2. Organ teachers, who have the right to play the Helsinki Music Centre main organ from 5:00 to 6:00
  3. Support services for artistic work

Fixed-term authorisation:

  1. Students who are granted a practice hour for playing the Helsinki Music Centre main organ from 5:00 to 6:00
  2. Students finalising their thesis projects for Kuvan Kevät in the project facilities

Employees and students may also apply for one-off authorisations for nighttime use. Authorisation is granted only based on solid reasoning, and the application must be submitted at least two weeks before the need to use the facilities at night is relevant. The facilities manager will process the applications together with the dean of the academy in question.

New opening hours for public

The new opening hours for public are presented below. Regardless of the service hours, students and staff can enter the facilities using their access tags between 6:00 and 24:00 from Monday to Sunday.

Kookos

  1. Mon–Fri: 8:30–20:00
  2. Sat: Services 10:00–18:00 or on an as needed-basis
  3. Sun: No services
  4. Evening and weekend use: Outside of the service hours, the building can be entered using an access tag
  5. Nighttime use: The building is closed between 00:00 and 6:00

Mylly

  1. Mon–Fri: 8:30–16:00
  2. Sat: No services
  3. Sun: No services
  4. Evening and weekend use: Outside of the service hours, the building can be entered using an access tag
  5. Nighttime use: The building is closed between 00:00 and 6:00

Helsinki Music Centre

  1. Mon–Fri: 9:00–16:00
  2. Sat: No services
  3. Sun: No services
  4. Evening and weekend use: Outside of the service hours, the building can be entered using an access tag
  5. Nighttime use: The building is closed between 00:00 and 6:00

N building

  1. Mon–Fri: 9:00–16:00
  2. Sat: No services
  3. Sun: No services
  4. Evening and weekend use: Outside of the service hours, the building can be entered using an access tag
  5. Nighttime use: The building is closed between 00:00 and 6:00

R building

  1. Mon–Fri: 8:30–20:00
  2. Sat: Services 10:00–18:00 or on an as needed-basis
  3. Sun: No services
  4. Evening and weekend use: Outside of the service hours, the building can be entered using an access tag
  5. Nighttime use: The building is closed between 00:00 and 6:00

Things to consider concerning opening times

  1. In Mylly, there is an on-call attendant present during exhibitions from Tuesday to Sunday, 11:00 to 18:00.
  2. Exceptions are made to the building opening hours in connection with performance and exhibition activities. If needed, opening hours may be extended until 22:00.
  3. The opening hours may differ from the usual on an as needed-basis over the weekends when the university organises concerts, performances and exhibitions in the buildings.
  4. From Midsummer until the end of July (weeks 26–31), the buildings and info desks are closed, but there will be an on-call attendant on campuses. Students and staff can enter the facilities using their access tags.