Pienten Helsinki
Animals in Helsinki and the Capital Region
Article published 22.7.2017, updated 28.9.2025
Sheep, cows, horses, chickens... In Helsinki and its surroundings, you can see and pet farm animals in several places. Summer sheep and cows doing landscape maintenance can be found just a stone's throw from Helsinki's city center. The cover image of this article is from Bosgården farm in Porvoo.
Note! Always check opening hours and other current information before visiting.
Farm Animals in Helsinki
Haltiala Farm Animals Farm
Haltiala Farm Animals Farm on the border of Helsinki and Vantaa is a farm owned by the City of Helsinki, where you can see sheep, cows, chickens, pigs and in summer also horses from Fallkulla farm and mounted police. In addition to animals, the farm yard often has tractors and other work machines, so you can also marvel at big machines at Haltiala. During summer months, animals live outdoors and for this reason the farm can be visited from morning to evening without a schedule. During cold seasons, most of the farm's animals are indoors and visits should be timed according to opening hours.
In late summer, peas and flowers growing in Haltiala's fields can be freely picked by city dwellers (announcements about timing are made separately on the city's website). Also remember the nearby Niskala arboretum.
The farm yard also has a nice farm-themed playground. Haltiala farm's restaurant is open year-round. On busy days, the farm may offer paid pony rides. Entrance to Haltiala farm is free.
Fallkulla Farm Animals Farm
Fallkulla Farm Animals Farm in Malmi is a farm owned by the City of Helsinki's culture and leisure services youth services, where you can see horses (in summer months horses move to Haltiala's fields), sheep, cows, rabbits, pigs, ducks and chickens. Fallkulla farm's indoor facilities are open to visitors, varying by season. Some animals are also outdoors at other times, so you can visit the farm on your own schedule. Fallkulla also has a playground made of small houses and wooden horses you can ride. Entrance to Fallkulla is free.
Fallkulla opening hours autumn and winter season 2025-2026
Mondays, Tuesdays and Saturdays closed.
Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays open to visitors 10am-2pm.
Sundays open 10am-2pm.
Café Kilikuppila open Sundays 10:30am-2pm.
Animals are outdoors mostly daily 10am-2pm during summer, autumn and spring seasons, so you can visit the area freely outside opening hours.
Mustasaari
Mustasaari is an island in Seurasaarenselä owned by the Helsinki Parish Union and a wonderful excursion destination for families with children during summer months. The island has a café-restaurant, playground, swimming beach (blue-green algae is often present during heat waves) and plenty to do. The island is home to at least sheep, rabbits and chickens during summer months. Ferry service to the island departs from the Taivallahti pier. You cannot reach Mustasaari by land, even though the map might suggest otherwise, as the land route is only for emergency vehicles and maintenance traffic. You can also reach Mustasaari by your own boat.
Mustasaari is open 2.6.–10.8.2025 Tuesday to Sunday.
The island is closed on Mondays.
Entrance to the island is free, a round-trip ferry ticket costs €8 for adults and €5 for ages 7-17. Children under 7 travel free with a guardian. Both card and cash payments are accepted on the ferry.
Read more: Pienten Helsinki article about a summer day at Mustasaari
Viik Fields
Cows graze in the fields of the University of Helsinki's teaching and research farm every day during summer season around 9am-1pm (but always at the cows' discretion). The atmosphere is like being in the countryside, even though the location is geographically in the middle of Helsinki, but still far from the city's hustle and bustle. On the same trip, it's worth stopping by the beautiful Viik arboretum park. The park has benches and tables for snacks and a bird tower with views of the Vanhankaupunki nature conservation area and all the way to Helsinki's city center. This place is perfect for forested park adventures! The area also has a popular cycling route, so keep this in mind when traveling with the very youngest.
In the reeds of Vanhankaupunginlahti bay, cows and sheep also graze doing landscape maintenance, and you may see glimpses of them from Viik and Lammassaari bird towers for example.
Free entrance, the place is always open.
Helsinki Mounted Police Stables
Near Helsinki's mounted police stables in Keskuspuisto park at the corners of the Ruskeasuo and Laakso riding fields, you can catch glimpses of police horses and other riding horses. You may also encounter riding horses in the nearby Keskuspuisto. The place is a good stopping point when exploring Keskuspuisto. In June, the mounted police horses take a vacation at Haltiala farm's fields.
Horses in Helsinki's City Center
In Hietalahti, along Boulevard (opposite Hietalahti market), live Sinebrychoff brewery horses. You can see the horse carriage on its rounds in the city center and sometimes also strolling in the nearby Hietalahti dog park.
Kuusiluoto Summer Sheep
Update 29.5.2025: Kuusiluoto's sheep have arrived for summer 2025!
On the beautiful, forested Kuusiluoto island in Vanhankaupunginlahti bay, sheep graze during summer months. You reach Kuusiluoto through Lammassaari via wooden walkways. The wooden walkway route from Pornaistenniemi is an adventure for all ages. The Kuusiluoto sheep roam freely on the island, so remember to close the gate to the island carefully. You may need to search for the sheep on the island for a while, but usually you won't have made the trip in vain. The summer sheep's shelter can be found at the end of the path turning right as you arrive on the island. Do not feed the sheep - they are properly cared for by caretakers. Kuusiluoto's wooden walkways were renewed in summer 2024 and now you can reach the island more easily, even during high water levels.
Also read: Pienten Helsinki article about Lammassaari and Kuusiluoto
Summer sheep usually arrive at Kuusiluoto by the first week of June and stay for landscape maintenance work well into autumn.
Vartiosaari Summer Sheep
Vartiosaarettas sheep from Haltiala farm work in landscape maintenance during summer. Summer sheep usually arrive on the island in early June and stay until August-September. Vartiosaareen is served in summer 2025 by Aurinkolautta ferry (paid).
Uutela Summer Sheep
As a result of the OmaStadi vote, sheep moved to Uutela in early June 2023 for landscape maintenance work, and sheep are also at Uutela in summer 2025. Three separate enclosures for summer sheep have been created in the meadows next to the Skatan farm, where they stay well into autumn.
Talosaari Horses
Talosaari's outdoor trail is almost certain to show horses, as the City of Helsinki's outdoor route starts at the Husö riding center.
Chickens in the City
Linnunrata daycare playground houses chickens during summer months through the OmaStadi initiative. Chickens move to Linnunrata in early June. The chickens are cared for together with the daycare playground's summer camp children and local families. Summer 2025: Chickens arrive at Linnunrata daycare playground during the first week of summer vacation (week 23) and stay until August.
At Seurasaari chickens have bustled about several summers in the Niemelä cottage yard. For summer 2025, the situation with chickens is not yet known. You can also meet very tame squirrels on the island and watch diving waterfowl from the bridge.
Syötävä Puisto in Mustikkamaa houses chickens during summer months. For summer 2025, chickens arrived at Syötävä Puisto on 1.6.2025. Syötävä Puisto is located between Korkeasaari's entrance and Mustikkamaa swimming beach. Free entrance, visit at your own pace.
See Farm Animals and Even Dinosaurs in Helsinki
Kustaankartano and Roihuvuoren service center yards have housed chickens during summer months in previous years. The situation for summer 2025 is not yet known as of 28.5.2025.
Sadly, Sankku the beloved pony that lived for years in Roihuvuoren service center's yard passed away in January 2025 ;( <3
Fish swim in at least the Winter Garden and in Helsinki's city center Stockmann department store's fourth floor elevator lobby.
Hara Island's nature center's brackish water aquarium features Baltic Sea species, such as fish. Hara Island is also home to and nesting site for many birds and offers archipelago and marine nature experiences. Hara Island is located off Kaivopuisto and ferry service departs from the long pier next to Café Ursula. Hara Island also hosts guided nature adventures for children. Free entrance to the island, ferry fee is charged.
And since I often get questions about dinosaurs, I recommend that dinosaur bones, information about animals and natural sciences can be found at the Museum of Natural History on Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu. Entrance fee.
Also read: Pienten Helsinki article about the Museum of Natural History from 2018
Small Finland
Small Finland is Pienten Helsinki's sister site, offering suggestions for activities and experiences throughout Finland. Also includes MANY suggestions for different farm animals throughout Finland!
Espoo
Glims House Museum
Glims House Museum in Espoo's Bembola, right next to the Jorvi Hospital area, is a historic farm in the middle of Espoo. The Glims yard also features a 4H association farm animals farm during summer months. Animal days are also organized at Glims farm animals farm (fee applies) as well as free pasture visits. Museum entrance fee, free for under 18s. Free admission on Wednesdays.
Villa Elfvik
Villa Elfvik nature center and the surrounding Laajalahti nature reserve you can see goats doing landscape maintenance work also during summer 2025. An excellent place to spot cattle can be found in the area's bird towers. Villa Elfvik has a café and its surroundings have lovely nature trails for adventures with children.
Nuuksio
Nuuksio national park area has several pastures where horses, goats, sheep and long-horned Highlander cattle graze during summer season. Suomenlammpaiden sheep grazing has also been started on the new 13-hectare Vuorela pasture.
The easiest places to see summer grazing goats are the Kattila (located right by the parking area and fireplace area) and Kuusela (located along Haukkalammentie road) heritage environments during summer. Kattila also has sheep grazing. Högback has also had horses grazing.
Pentala Archipelago Museum
Pentala Archipelago Museum on Espoonlahti bay is home to summer sheep. The museum area is free to visit. Admission to Gurli's building is charged. Round-trip archipelago ferry to the island costs €7, children under 7 free. Pentala Archipelago Museum is open to the public 1.6.-31.8.2025.
Vantaa
Katrineberg Manor
Katrineberg Manor's 4H farm animals farm in Vantaa's Seutula houses sheep, goats, rabbits and chickens during summer season. Information about farm animals farm pasture visits can be found on the Capital Region 4H association's website, but you can also visit the farm animals farm at other times mostly between 8am-9pm (do not feed the animals!). Katrineberg is located next to Katryna Hospital near Helsinki-Vantaa Airport and the nearest bus stop is next to the hospital. Free entrance.
Summer Sheep in Vantaa Fields
In Koivuhaka and Hakunila's Kormuniitty, sheep move in May-June for landscape maintenance work. More detailed information and coordinates can be found on the City of Vantaa's website. In Vantaa, sheep stay until September-October.
Inkoo
Lomamäki Pet Park
Lomamäki Pet Park in Degerbyn, Inkoo, offers a truly zoo-like experience: in addition to traditional farm animals, you can see parrots, snakes, spiders, turtles and much more. You can also pet many of the animals. Entrance fee applies.
Porvoo
Kungsbacka Farm Animals Farm
Kungsbacka Farm Animals Farm in Ilola, Porvoo, is a farm destination where you can see animals up close and pet many of them. Kungsbacka is home to chickens, rabbits, donkeys, reindeer (!), pigs, wild boars, sheep, goats, horses... and work machines! Entrance fee applies.
Bosgården Farm
Bosgården Farm on the east side of Porvoo is a good stopping point for a day trip. The farm is home to Charolais cattle. The farm shop and restaurant's exact opening hours should be checked on the farm's website. Bosgården also features a nature trail open to all, and along the routes you can get acquainted with the farm's animals.
Tuusula
Koiramäki Pajutalli
Koiramäki Pajutalli is a home décor store with playgrounds and lots to see in its yard. The yard is home year-round to mini pigs and rabbits, and during summer season also sheep and chickens. Free entrance.
Along Lake Tuusulanjärvi, between Tuusula Church and Gustavelund, you may see sheep doing landscape maintenance work during summer months. The exact location of the sheep can be checked on the Facebook page.
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