Aboa Vetus Ars Nova

Aboa Vetus Ars Nova is a museum in central Turku, Finland, that unites archaeological heritage with contemporary art under one roof. Established in 1995 and housed in the Rettig palace, it combines two distinct institutions: Aboa Vetus, an archaeological museum presenting medieval urban remains, and Ars Nova, a museum of contemporary art. The venue stands as the only archaeological museum in Finland and ranks among the most popular tourist destinations in Southwest Finland.

The museum opened in 1995 as two independent institutions. The original plan called only for Ars Nova, a contemporary art museum, but during construction workers discovered structures and artifacts dating to the Middle Ages. The commissioned archaeological excavation grew into Aboa Vetus, which opened alongside Ars Nova. The two museums operated separately until 2004, when they merged into a single entity. Since 2005, the museum has sustained an active archaeological research program. Public engagement and community archaeology are central to its mission, with research conducted by professional archaeologists and volunteers alike.

Aboa Vetus presents the history of Turku from the Middle Ages through the twentieth century through in-situ ruins and excavated material. The underground archaeological section encompasses six medieval ruined buildings, the oldest stone structures dating to the late fourteenth century and the earliest wooden remains to the late thirteenth century. Ars Nova, spread across two floors, specializes in contemporary art. Its ground floor hosts four temporary exhibitions annually, while its first floor presents two annual exhibitions drawn from the Matti Koivurinta Foundation collection and affords views of a formal French garden. Since 2011, the Takkahuone gallery has accommodated smaller exhibitions, and from 2013 the Matti Koivurinta Foundation has hosted an artist in residence each year.

The most significant holdings are the archaeological remains themselves: six medieval buildings preserved in situ, including well-preserved cellars that remained in use until the Rettig palace was built in 1928. The stone houses were likely inhabited by members of the German and Swedish bourgeoisie. The site lies in the convent quarter, where at least two of Turku's medieval guilds, the guild of Saint Nicholas and the guild of the Three Kings, may have had their houses. The Prebend of the church was also located in this district. After the Middle Ages, the Itäinen Rantakatu street cellars passed through various owners, including Gustav Albert Petrelius, who established the Aura baths there in 1874; the baths operated until 1907, when the property was sold to the Rettig tobacco factory, which functioned on the site until 1928.

The museum occupies the Rettig palace, constructed in 1928. The building sits atop the archaeological remains that now form Aboa Vetus. The palace itself represents early twentieth-century architecture, while beneath it the medieval and early modern layers of Turku are exposed. The Ars Nova section on the upper floors includes access to a French-style garden. The integration of the modern palace with the medieval subterranean ruins creates a physical dialogue between the historic urban fabric and contemporary museum functions.

Aboa Vetus Ars Nova is located in central Turku, in the II district. The museum is owned and operated as a unified institution following the 2004 merger. Visitors can access both the archaeological excavations underground and the contemporary art galleries above. The museum maintains an active program of temporary exhibitions, permanent archaeological displays, and public archaeological research. Its website is https://avan.fi/.