Open Otaniemi 25 October 2025
Dive into our vibrant campus and the fascinating world of science, art and technology! Aalto University warmly invites personnel and their loved ones to join us for a fun day on campus on 25 October in Otaniemi. Please see below to see all the activities!
Loading table of contents
Workshops
All the workshops are suitable for children of all ages unless otherwise mentioned in the description.
| Workshop | Description | Venue | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Binary pearls | Handicrafts meets mathematics. You will be introduced to binary numbers by making a macramé wristband. | TBA | Hop on-hop off, at 10.15 - 12.15 & 13.15 -14.45 |
| Chain Reactions in Creativity | Aalto Design Factory welcomes you to an exciting workshop where creativity and problem solving is celebrated as we dive into the whimsical world of making our very own Rube Goldberg machines! Discover the essence of design thinking and prototyping as you work hands-on to construct a unique and fun chain-reaction contraption. Whether you're a brimming inventor or a curious soul wishing to get their creative hats on, this workshop will give you the all tools necessary for being a problem-solver and innovator! | TBA | Non-stop at 10-15 |
| Electronic recycling workshop for children | Coming soon | TBA | TBA |
| Giant soap bubbles | Who makes the biggest soap bubbles? Science and fun come together in a wonderful way. | Outside Väre, Otakaari 14 | At 10.15 - 12.00 and 13.00 -14.45 (non-stop) |
| LED bracelets using conductive yarn | Making LED bracelets using conductive yarns. Please note: needles are used, so the workshop is not suitable for very young children. | TBA | Non-stop at 10-15 |
| Mathematics and origami | Come and join us in folding simple origami models and discover their mathematical power. No previous experience in origami is needed. | TBA | Non-stop at 10-15 |
| Marine X | Design your own cruise ship! Make origami paper boats, load them with small weights and test them. | TBA | Every 30 minutes from 10 to 15 |
| Paper boats floating experiments | Make origami paper boats, load them with small weights and test how they float. | TBA | Non-stop at 10-15 |
| Robotics corner | Come and try out moving gadgets in the robotics corner! | TBA | Hop on-hop off, at 10.15 - 12.15 & 13.15 -14.45 |
| The shape of space | Discover mind-bending surprises about the space we live in with hands-on experiments using only paper and string. | TBA | Non-stop at 10-15 |
| Space walk | Virtual reality program called Space Walk showcases space research. This new version includes an automated feature known as the "Grand Tour", which provides an automatic, looping tour through the Solar System, displayed directly on a screen. | TBA | Non-stop at 10-15 |
| Take your picture with a satellite! | Come learn how to take pictures with a satellite! You can take a picture of your or another person in your group. We suggest max. 8 people/group | TBA | Non-stop at 10-15 |
| The TUTA game |
The workshop consists of three interlinked games where participants build simple e-cars of LEGO bricks in order to understand the impact of three basic production economics innovations:
The game starts when 3-7 persons' group is formed, and is recommended to kids aged 10 to 15. |
TBA | Every 30 minutes at 10-15 |
| Virtual painting | Arts and virtual reality go hand in hand in this workshop. Let's paint imaginary worlds! | Aalto Junior labs (Kemistintie 1 B) | At 10.15 - 12.00 and 13.00 -14.45 (non-stop) |
| Waste electronics recycling | Have you ever wondered what are our electronic devices made of? What metals are needed our mobile phones or computers? And what happens to these materials when we can no longer use them? We invite you to join our workshop, where we will learn about the importance of metals in our every day life and that recycling is not always as easy as it sounds. | TBA | Hop on-hop off at 10-15 |
Demos
All the demos are suitable for all age groups and will be non-stop unless mentioned otherwise.
| Demo | Description | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Acoustics of Cathedrals | Ancient walls, vaulted ceilings, and echoing stones---cathedrals shape every word into long-lasting, rich compositions. Each cathedral has its own signature, product of the time evolution of architecture, music composition, and human perception of the sacred. Embark on a journey to experience how shapes and materials become sound, and sound becomes emotion, recreated live through the power of the active acoustics technology. | Marsio (Otakaari 2 A), Cinema | At 12:15-12:35 and 14:40-15:00 |
| Breaking of Ice | Coming soon | TBA | Non stop at 10-10 |
| In the future, food will be grown in cities! | Surprising but true – in the future, vegetables, berries, mushrooms, potatoes and herbs may be grown on rooftops, walls or even indoors! As more and more people live in cities, buildings are becoming like small farms. Join us on an expedition – can you find out which city grows food? |
TBA | Non-stop at 10-15 |
| Physics of electricity | Our modern world is built on electricity, but where does the electricity in our electric grid come from? Come see the physics of electromagnetic induction and the interplay between magnetism and electricity. | TBA | Non-stop at 10-15 |
| Physics of light | Come see interference of light in our laser demonstration and learn about the polarization and wave nature of light. | TBA | Non-stop at 10-15 |
| Physics of spinning tops | Try balancing a spinning top without spinning it. It is hard, isn't it? But if you make it spin, it will stay almost upright for as long as its spinning fast enough. Why does the spinning prevent the top from tipping? Come and see the physics of spinning. | TBA | Non-stop at 10-15 |
| Polymers |
First we make a polymer (1), then we show some property of the polymer (2), and then we crosslink it to get further properties (3.)
|
TBA | Non-stop at 10-15 |
| ePowerhub | The ePowerHub enables research on electrical machines and drives, power electronics, integration of renewables into the electric grid, and characterisation of magnetic materials. These technologies are essential for wind turbines, solar photovoltaic plants, electric vehicles, and many other industrial applications. | TBA | Non-stop at 10-15 |
| Remote behavioral measurement | Come and see how you feel! Thermal Imaging and Facial Emotion Recognition methods give you instant feedback about your emotions and facial temperature levels. See your smile and your thermal hand print. | TBA | Non-stop at 10-15 |
| Simulation of a pedestrian | A pedestrian simulation developed to improve the safety of self-driving cars. | TBA | Non-stop at 10-15 |
| Wave | Dance in virtual reality, for 2 persons | TBA | Non-stop at 10-15 |
Lectures and presentations
Please note the target audience in the description. Some lectures are suitable for children and some for teenagers and adults.
| Lecture/ Presentation | Description | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riitta Hari: If you had the brain of a chicken (Presentation) | Riitta Hari, author of "Kanan aivot" ("Chicken Brains"), explores why we have brains in the first place. Could brains be exchanged between a chicken and a human? The lecture offers an opportunity to ask questions. Presentation for children aged 11 years and older. In Finnish. | TBA | TBA |
| Perttu Hämäläinen: The science and art of game design (Presentation) | Games combine art and science in a multidisciplinary way, e.g. mathematics, visual arts, psychology and poetry. In this presentation, Perttu will explain how games are made and explored through practical examples. In addition, the audience will invent and test together fields for an exercise game. Presentation for children aged 9 years and older. In Finnish. | Marsio (Otakaari 2A), Stage | 11:00-11:30 |
| Pauliina Ilmonen: Infinity (Presentation) | The infinite is a bit like the number eight that has gone awry. But what exactly is infinity? We talk about huge quantities, very small quantities and infinity. Presentation for children aged 9 years and older. In Finnish. | Marsio (Otakaari 2A), Stage | 13:30-14:00 |
| Zachary Taylor: What happens to your skin when you run into stinging nettle? (Lecture) | We use submillimeter wave imaging to investigate the distribution of water in your skin following a sting from common stinging nettle. The results are in consistent with conventional wisdom regarding the resulting welts. The lecture is suitable for teenagers and adults. In English. | TBA | TBA |
| Ashish Thapliyal: Happiness Science | What really makes us happy? Are we chasing the right things in life? In this short talk, we will explore what science has learned about happiness and how small insights can change the way we think about life. Let’s together have a look at the science of happiness. The lecture is suitable for teenagers and adults. In English. | TBA | TBA |
| Jukka Tuhkuri: Field work on the Weddell Sea in Antarctica - how we found the Endurance (Lecture) | Aalto University is conducting arctic marine and ice research in Antarctic waters. What does that mean and why are we doing that? Photos of penguins will be shown. The lecture linked to National Geographic’s Endurance movie. The lecture is suitable for all age groups. In English. | TBA | TBA |
| Maija Vaara: Moving textiles | Folding fabric, fluttering butterfly, and transforming lace - new active yarns enable a whole new range of textiles. We explore the development of these active yarns and the different craft techniques they can used with. The lecture is suitable for all age groups. In English. | TBA | TBA |
Tours
Please note that all the tours require registration. The registration will open in August.
| Tour | Description | Time | Meeting point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aalto University campus tour | During the tour, the guide will explain the architecture, story and fun facts about the most relevant campus buildings. Duration: 60 minutes. | TBA | TBA |
| The school of ARTS' workshops tour | Väre's workshops tour, guided by infrastructure manager Janne Hirvonen. Max 20 people/tour. | TBA | Väre (Otakaari 14), Info desk at the lobby |
| Metsähovi Observatory Tour |
In Metsähovi radio telescopes are used around the clock, every day of the year, to study the universe at radio waves. The tour includes a presentation and a visit to the observatory equipment, including the 14-metre radio telescope. The tour lasts about 90 minutes and registration is mandatory. A free bus shuttle will take the participants to the observatory. By registering, you will reserve your seat on the bus. The tour is suitable for all age groups. Max 50 people/tour |
|
Outside Marsio, Otakaari 2 A |
Other activities
| Activity | Description | Location | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aalto Pursuit | Are you ready for a live Aalto Pursuit tournament? How many correct answers will you get? Everyone will receive a prize, no matter how many correct answers one will score! Suitable for >6 years old children and their guardians | Marsio (Otakaari 2A), Stage | At 12:30-13:00 and 14:15-14:45 |
| The autonomous car |
The autonomous research vehicle ARVO observes its environment to gather data on road condition and carbon sinks in trees, for example. Its highly accurate sensors make it a research laboratory on wheels. |
TBA | Non-stop 10-15 |
| Designs for a Cooler Planet (Self guided tour) |
Come and get a glimpse of hope for a better future! The exhibition celebrates interdisciplinary creativity and cross-boundary collaboration—key elements for driving fundamental change and delivering truly novel solutions for a more sustainable future. |
Marsio (Otakaari 2 A), Event studio | Non-stop 10-15 |
| Endurance documentary (National geographic) |
In a legendary feat of leadership and perseverance, polar explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton kept his crew of 27 men alive for over a year despite the loss of their ship in frigid pack ice. Over a century later, a team of modern-day explorers sets out to find the sunken ship. From National Geographic Documentary Films, ENDURANCE tells the inspiring stories of these two landmark expeditions, bound by their shared grit and determination. |
Marsio (Otakaari 2A), Cinema | At 10:15-12:00 and 12:45-14:30 |