Pilvi Kalhama assumes role as Director

Pilvi Kalhama has assumed the role of Director of one of the most ambitious cultural projects in Finland’s recent history: the opening of the new Museum of Architecture and Design. The museum will open in a new building in Helsinki’s South Harbour, scheduled for completion in 2030.

“In our search for a director of the new Museum of Architecture and Design, we sought a visionary leader with a bold and inclusive approach to museum-making,” said Kaarina Gould, CEO of the Foundation for the Finnish Museum of Architecture and Design and Chair of the AD Museum. “Pilvi Kalhama impressed us with her curatorial depth, cross-disciplinary approach, commitment to international dialogue and leadership in institution-building.”

Reflecting on starting her new role this month, Kalhama stated:

“It has been a privilege to step into this long-anticipated role. The new museum will rise to meet global expectations not only in content and design but in its civic mission. I would like to see the future museum as an essential actor in the Nordic cultural landscape—responding to the pressing social, ecological and democratic issues of our time through the lens of architecture and design. Design and architecture have always reflected the values of our society. Now more than ever, we need a museum that can elevate these fields as tools for justice, empathy and transformation. I look forward to building a working culture that is agile and driven by curiosity.”

With a background in museum leadership, cultural research and institutional strategy, Kalhama brings a strong track record in building museum identity that challenges traditional boundaries between disciplines. In her earlier conceptual and curatorial work and during her directorship at EMMA – Espoo Museum of Modern Art (2012—2025), one of the leading art museums in the Nordic–Baltic region, Kalhama led a program celebrated for its conceptual boldness and international recognition. Under her leadership, EMMA’s exhibitions have been exploring hybrid territories between modern and contemporary art as well as design.

“I will now bring my reflective gaze to the new museum project and see that its program should celebrate—but also critically examine—architecture, design and creative culture in a broad sense. As a Nordic actor, we have a great opportunity to respond to the expectations of museum audiences in a unique, attractive and engaging way, even when it comes to the most critical themes,” Kalhama concludes.

In her earlier work at EMMA, Kalhama demonstrated a deep commitment to expanding the scope of art history and recovering marginalised narratives through cross-disciplinary approaches. Recent exhibitions initiated under her leadership include Arte Povera—A New Chapter with 22 international modern and contemporary female artists, a solo exhibition by Sámi artist Outi Pieski, and European touring exhibitions such as Ulla Wiggen–Passage, Carol Rama Retrospective and the Konrad Mägi Retrospective. Kalhama has also brought solo exhibitions by some of the most influential artists of our time to EMMA, including Tacita Dean, Olafur Eliasson, Elmgreen & Dragset, William Kentridge and Pierre Huyghe.

Kalhama’s tenure at EMMA was also marked by transformative institutional development as she spearheaded two space-wise expansions of the museum. In 2017, the museum launched an innovative visible storage concept—one of the first of its kind in the museum field—redefining how audiences engage with collection holdings dedicated to showcasing, storing and studying the heritage of Tapio Wirkkala and Rut Bryk. Several years later, her vision led to the creation of a new museum department dedicated to postwar Finnish glass and ceramic design, titled Collection Kakkonen, the largest collection display of its kind in the world. At the same time, the museum has been seeing record high numbers of visitors.

A Licentiate of Philosophy in Art History and a doctoral researcher at the University of Turku in History, Culture and Art Studies, Kalhama is completing her dissertation on evolving inclusivity and democracy in the museum context. She previously founded and directed Helsinki Contemporary, a Nordic gallery initiative that continues to operate in Helsinki. Kalhama holds several positions of trust, including roles with PUBLICS Centre for Curatorial Thinking, Archinfo—Information Centre for Finnish Architecture, the Aboa Vetus Ars Nova Foundation and the Finnish National Theatre.

The Museum of Architecture and Design in Helsinki, Finland is owned by the Foundation for the Finnish Museum of Architecture and Design and operates as the national museum in its fields. The international architecture competition for the new building is currently in its final phase, with the winning design to be announced by a jury on 11th September 2025. Until the opening of the new building in 2030, the museum will continue to operate from its historic premises in central Helsinki. Exhibitions in Fall 2025 will highlight the winning proposal and other finalists from the design competition for the new museum building and an exploration into Tove Jansson’s—the creator of the Moomins—relationship with architecture and design.

For further information: admuseo.fi

Kaarina Gould, Chair: kaarina.gould[at]admuseo.fi  / T +358400350505. Pilvi Kalhama, Museum Director: pilvi.kalhama[at]admuseo.fi / +358405334070. Erkki Izarra, Director of Communications and Marketing: erkki.izarra[at]admuseo.fi / +358403581014.