Museums can become eligible for central government transfers by application by the museum operator. On condition the applicant museum meets the conditions laid down in section 5 of the Museums Act, it becomes eligible for central government transfers. The next application round for central government transfers is in 2028. The call for applications and related instructions will be published in late 2026 or early 2027.

In the same connection, all museums that have operated within the scope of central government transfers examine whether the conditions laid down in section 5 of the Museums Act have been met. This obligation also applies to museums with regional or national responsibility. For museums to be able to remain within the scope of central government transfers over the next financial period of 2028, they must examine whether the conditions specified in section 5 have been met over the past period.

The upcoming application period also allows new museums to apply to be designated as a museum with national responsibility. In addition, all museums designated as museums with national responsibility examine whether the conditions laid down in section 10 of the Museums Act have been met, report on the planning period for 2024–2027 and submit national plans for the next funding period of 2028–2031. Museums negotiate on the plans with the Finnish Heritage Agency in spring 2027, and the plans form the basis for deciding on additional funding for the next financial period for the duties of museums with national responsibility.

Around October-November 2027, the Ministry will make decisions on eligibility for central government transfers and on central government transfers for museums from 2028 onwards.

The next opportunity to seek designation as a museum with regional responsibility is in the call for applications opening in 2026. In the same connection, all museums with regional responsibility will also examine whether the conditions laid down in section 8 of the Museums Act have been met, report on the planning period for 2023–2026 and submit regional plans for the next funding period of 2027–2030. Museums negotiate on the plans with the Finnish Heritage Agency in spring 2026, and the plans form the basis for deciding on additional funding for the next financial period for the duties of museums with national responsibility.

Funding of museums within the scope of central government transfers

Central government transfers to museums consist of core funding granted to all museums within the scope of central government transfers, and of additional funding for regional and national museums awarded on the basis of regional and national duties.

Central government transfers are awarded to museum operators to cover the operating costs of museums. Museums may be approved as eligible for central government transfers and central government transfers may be granted within the parameters of the national budget. When making its decisions, the Ministry also evaluates how necessary the central government transfers are from the point of view of the objective laid down in section 4 of the Museums Act.

Central government transfers are computed based on unit prices of the museums calculated on the basis of actual costs and on the number of person-years confirmed by the Ministry of Education and Culture. The number of actual person-years in the preceding four-year period is taken into account when confirming the number of person-years in the museums. The core funding for central government transfers is paid per person-year at 37 per cent of the unit price confirmed for the museum. The Ministry might not be able to grant the person-years entitling an institution to central government transfers in full.

Provisions on the payment of central government transfers and the computation of unit prices are laid down in the Act on the Financing of Education and Culture (1705/2009).

There may be annual amendments to the acts and the guidelines on central government transfers. Central government transfer recipients and applicants must always check the statutes from the most recent legislation and guidelines.

Museums eligible for central government transfers with the scope of the Ministry of Education and Culture must supply all information necessary each year for the computation of their central government transfers using the Finnish National Agency for Education’s questionnaire on operating costs and rates. The questionnaire, instructions and cost reports can be found on the Finnish National Agency for Education website.

Museums within the scope of central government transfers must immediately report to the Ministry of Education and Culture of any changes that have a bearing on their eligibility for central government transfers or the basis for the transfers. The Finnish National Agency for Education must be notified immediately of any changes to the museum's contact details or account number.

Museums eligible for central government transfers that are not subject to VAT receive the central government transfers with the VAT percentage included. Museums must immediately notify the Ministry of Education and Culture of any changes that affect the museum’s VAT status. 

Funding plans

The Ministry of Education and Culture makes decisions on the funding plan for central government transfers to museums every four years.

The next funding period covers the years 2024 to 2027. The funding period for museums with regional responsibility has been staggered so that it runs from 2023 to 2026.

The funding plan is not binding. However, derogations during the four-year funding plan period are made only for specific reasons, such as a significant reduction in operations or changes made in the budget involving the number of person-years or financial resources.

The Ministry confirms the number of person-years in the museums and the unit prices and the amount of additional discretionary funding for museums with national responsibility every year around October-November. 

Museums must immediately notify the Ministry of Education and Culture of any changes in their operations that affect the fulfilment of the conditions laid down in section 5 of the Museums Act.

Museums with regional responsibility

The Ministry of Education and Culture designated the museums with regional responsibility and assigned their field of activity as of the beginning of 2020. A central government transfer of 85 per cent of the unit price is paid for person-years allocated to regional duties.

Under section 8 of the museums Act, the Ministry of Education and Culture may, upon application by the museum operator, designate a museum as a museum with regional responsibility if the museum meets the conditions laid down in the Act. The Ministry designates the museum's field of activity on the basis of an application from the museum operator.

The field of activity may comprise the territory of one or more regions and the duties of museums with regional responsibility may include one or more of the duties laid down in section 7 of the Act. For justifiable reasons related to the conditions in the region, the set of duties may be divided between several museums in the region.

The duties of museums with regional responsibility are the following:

• promotion of regional museum activities (act as an expert in cultural heritage, and develop and promote museum activities, cooperation within the museum’s field of activity, and the preservation and digital accessibility of cultural heritage);
• cultural environment duties in the regions (act as an expert on the cultural environment, in particular on the built environment and archaeological cultural heritage, issuing opinions, participating as an expert in public officials’ negotiations and providing advice, and developing and promoting the preservation of the cultural environment, cooperation within its field of activity and the digital recording and availability of information on the cultural environment;
• art museum duties in the regions (act as an expert in the arts and visual cultural heritage, and develop and promote cooperation in its field of activity, as well as the preservation and digital accessibility of arts and visual cultural heritage).

Museums with national responsibility

The Ministry of Education and Culture designated the museums with national responsibility and assigned their fields of expertise by decision from the beginning of 2020. One new museum with national responsibility was designated for 2024. Additional discretionary funding in euros may be granted for the duties of museums with national responsibility.

Under section 10 of the Museums Act, the Ministry of Education and Culture may designate a museum as a museum with national responsibility if the museum meets the conditions laid down in the Act.

Among the conditions are the following: that the museum acts as a special museum in a field of national significance, that the designation is necessary in view of the field of activity and for the purpose of the museum activities laid down in section 2  of the Act, that the museum has a collection of national significance, and that it is in a position to perform the duties. Provisions on the duties of museum with national responsibility are laid down in section 9 of the Museums Act.

A museum with national responsibility shall:

1. carry out national museum activities in its field of expertise;
2. develop and promote cultural heritage work and cooperation between museums in its field of expertise;
3. act as a national expert in cultural heritage in its field of expertise;
4. maintain and promote international contacts in its field of expertise;
5. promote the recording of cultural heritage and digital accessibility in its field of expertise.