Marsio opens on 26 August and will be celebrated on 3 September during Aalto Day One

Marsio is a meeting place open to everyone on the Aalto University campus, right next to the metro station and light rail stop at Otakaari 2. The entrance is opposite the main entrance of Otakaari 1 on the other side of the square. Step inside at any time and immerse yourself in the university's research and activities – exhibitions and events, open lectures, movies, the restaurant and the Aalto University Shop.

Marsio’s opening schedule

Monday 26 August  

• The doors of Marsio open to the public. Opening hours are Mon-Thu 8–21 and Fri 8–20. The building's public art on the ground floor and in the staircase can be explored during opening hours.
• Restaurant Middle of Otaniemi (MOO) serves breakfast from 8 am and lunch from 11 am to 2 pm. After work opening hours on Thursdays until 7 pm from the beginning of September. The restaurant will inform more about its operations closer to the time.  
• Aalto University Shop moves to Marsio and is open Mon-Fri 9–17.  

Saturday 31 August  

• The doors of Marsio are open from 11.00–15.00 to celebrate Espoo Day! Stop by the restaurant in the newest building in the area for a coffee and explore the Aalto Shop's offerings. 
• On Espoo Day we also offer campus tours (1,5 h) in Finnish and English. 

Read more about Otaniemi's Espoo Day programme  

Monday 2 September  

• Takeout lending services will be transferred to Marsio and can be used during the building's opening hours.  
• All public teaching facilities will open for teaching (some agreed teaching pilots will be carried out earlier).

Tuesday 3 September

• The opening of Marsio will be celebrated in connection with Aalto Day One, when the Aalto Awards ceremony and reception will be held in Marsio starting at 2.15 pm. See the program for the opening day of the entire academic year and register here
• The Makers of the Impossible exhibition in the lower lobby opens to the public. Explore Finland's first satellite, quantum garden, sustainable fashion revolution and many other breakthroughs in Aalto's research over the past 15 years. The exhibition is open until the end of 2025.
• The downstairs production and event facilities will be opened.

Friday 6 September

• The main exhibition of the Designs for Cooler Planet festival is this year in Marsio. There will also be events and satellite exhibitions around the Otaniemi campus on 6 Sep – 3 Oct 2024. Explore the Aalto community's creative experiments and masterpieces that are making thinking and the world more sustainable: renewable materials, circular economy, space technology and sustainable luxury. The festival is part of Helsinki Design Week.  
• During the festival, Marsio will have, for example, two free screenings of the documentary film Radical Creatives directed by Emilia Hernesniemi, as well as guided exhibition tours and tours of public art. Check out the event selection and book your place on the tours.

Monday 9 September

• The facilities intended for the digitalisation of teaching will open: A pod, Podcast studio, Ministudio and Self-service studio will open. Please note that the Teaching studio will not open until 30 September 2024.  

Information about guided tours of Marsio will be provided later, when the activities begin to stabilize after the opening.  

Please note that there may be slight delays to schedules, so please be patient. During the opening week, exhibitions will be installed, and various goods will be moved around on the premises.  

See you at Marsio!

Contacts and further information