Further up the river, and on the opposite bank, lies the Wäinö Aaltonen Museum (WAM), named after the famous Turku born sculptor Wäinö Aaltonen (1894–1966). Almost 50 years old now, the museum is housed in a modernist white building that has become a distinctive part of Turku’s cultural landscape. The permanent exhibition is based on the art collection of City of Turku, which includes a large collection of works by Aaltonen himself, but there are also temporary exhibitions that present new and experimental art projects. The rich calendar of events held at WAM includes events, lectures, concerts and theme days for families.
Although the museum was designed by Irma and Matti Aaltonen, Wäinö Aaltonen also took part in the design process, travelling abroad to visit numerous art museums and get a feel for what was needed to best exhibit large works of art. His influence is felt in the spacious exhibition rooms that enable the visitors to view three-dimensional art from every angle, with certain rooms reserved for specific forms of art. The upper and lower galleries were planned for miniature sculptures, paintings and graphics, whereas the main sculpture hall, with a height of 11 metres, was planned for large works of art, allowing the museum to exhibit pieces that would have been impossible to display in smaller spaces. The atmospheric atrium illuminates all the space that surrounds it. Through the large windows, the visitors are able to see the sky or the rippling water of the pool. Susanna, a bronze sculpture by Aaltonen, is kneeling by the pool. The museum is also home to the Wäinön valinta museum shop and the pleasant Café Wäinö.