Experience circular
”Kierrätyskeskus has solid understanding of circular economy and sustainability solutions especially at schools, and extensive experience of teaching these subjects.”
Anni-Elina Karvonen, Project Manager, Finnish National Agency for Education
A visit to Pääkaupunkiseudun Kierrätyskeskus, Reuse Centre, is a unique, unforgettable dive straight into the very heart of circular economy. Visitors get to see how items circulate from donation to the store shelf, or get a new lease of life after a detour through our workshops.
Each visit will be tailored according to the group in question: there’s content for children, teenagers, experts and professionals, as well as for professional educators.
Our experienced environmental educators and specialists will inspire visitors to consider their every day choices and their relationship to items and the environment. Visitors get to give circular economy a try in practice and ponder the choices that enable us to truly save natural resources.
Visit duration: 1 hour or 2 to 4 hours
Languages: English & Finnish
Introduce yourself to the Tour behind the scenes and Visit Packages below:
Tour behind the scenes
General info for organisers
Kierrätyskeskus, the Helsinki Metropolitan Ara Reuse Centre, is an excellent destination for anyone interested in sustainable development and circular economy.
A visit to the biggest reuse center in Finland is a guided tour in the facilities that cover an area of about 1500 square meters. The tour experience is unforgettable in many ways. Visitors have the opportunity to see the backstage of the operations from the donation point through sorting and pricing departments to different workshops and eventually the journey of discovery arrives to one of our largest secondhand stores.
The tour guide, our environmental educators, have decades of experience in sustainability education. They master enlightening kids, teenagers and adults through combining facts, experience and the world famous Finnish pedagogy. During the visit, visitors get to touch, sense, experiment, ask questions and learn.
Our visiting program is highly recommended by visitors and organizers. It is possible to get a certificate of participation to show at school or home.
Languages: English & Finnish
Max group size is 20 people.
Visit programs and durations:
- ”Tour Behind the Scenes”: 1 hour guided tour in Reuse Centre.
- ”Visit Package”: 2-4 hours including the tour and at least one of the selectable lessons and workshops.
- Lunch opportunities can be found near each reuse store / shop the visit takes place in.
Price for the Tour behind the scenes.
- For adults the price for 1 hour tour is 161,30 € / group ( 200€ with VAT).
- For children the price for a 1 hour tour is 121 € / group (150 € with VAT).
Price for Visit Packages:
- For adults the price for a 2 hour visit is 550 € / group (682 € with VAT). Extra time is 160 € / hour (198,4 € with VAT).
- For children the price for a 2 hour visit is 450 € / group (558 € with VAT). Extra time is 160 € / hour (198,4 with VAT).
Online visit
No plans to visit us in Helsinki? Don’t worry, you can also experience our visit program virtually. The online tour will be held in Microsoft Teams.
Price of online visit to customers in Finland
- For adults the price for 1,5 hour online tour is 193,54 € / group ( 240€ with VAT).
- For children the price for a 1,5 hour tour is 161,30 € / group (200 € with VAT).
Price of online visit to customers outside of Finland:
- For adults the price for 1,5 hour online tour is 200 € / group ( No VAT).
- For children the price for a 1 hour tour is 160 € / group (No VAT).
Booking request should be made at least 3 weeks beforehand.
Kierrätyskeskus welcomes groups year round from Monday to Friday between 9 am and 8 pm, outside Finnish public holidays.
For booking and to find out more, please contact our office at koulutus@polkuedu.fi.
Where to visit:
Nihtisilta
Kutojantie 3, 02630 Espoo
Circular economy in all its forms. Nihtisilta department store can accommodate up to 2 groups simultaneously (up to 40 participants).
Koivukylä
Hosantie 2, 01360 Vantaa
Circular economy in all its forms. Koivukylä department store can accommodate up to 2 groups simultaneously (up to 40 participants).
Porttipuisto
Porttisuontie 7, 01200 Vantaa
Porttipuisto reuse shop is a heaven for reuse and upcycle design enthusiasts.
Finnoo
Luoteisrinne 1, 02270 Espoo
Finnoo reuse shop features urban farming and nutrient recycling.
Experts & professionals
Visit packages
All visit packages include introduction and a tour behind the scenes (1 h). Complete the package by choosing at least one additional activity:
Lecture
Circular economy Kierrätyskeskus style (1h)
Learn from the best.
Lecture
Waste recycling – how we do it Finland (1h)
Sorting waste is easy!
Handicrafts workshop
”Souvenirs Made by Me” (1h)
Get creative and make unique gifts from second hand materials.
Hands-on lesson
Sustainable consumption, case: clothes (1h)
Discover the journey of clothes and learn to recognise quality.
Teachers & educators
A visit to Kierrätyskeskus offers education professionals inspiration and new ideas. Kierrätyskeskus’ environmental educators are happy to share their expertise and decades of experience in sustainability education.
During the visit, participants get to witness how our educators combine facts, experience and pedagogical knowhow in their work, as well as creatively use different methods and various learning environments.
Visit packages
All visit packages include introduction and a tour behind the scenes (1 h). Complete the package by choosing at least one additional activity:
Handicrafts workshop
”Teaching Aids Made by Me” (1h)
Get creative with second hand materials – make your own teaching aids.
Demonstration
Sustainability Pedagogy Demonstration (1h)
Experience the world’s top education system.
Lecture
Sustainability education Kierrätyskeskus style (1h)
Here’s how we do it.
Lecture
Waste recycling – how we teach it in Finland (1h)
Sorting waste is easy!
Youth & adolescents (aged 13 to 18)
A visit to Kierrätyskeskus offers teenagers and young adults food for thought regarding their own consumption choices and relationship to items. Our experienced environmental educators show how items find a new home after sorting and stocking onto a shelf.
Visit packages
All visit packages include introduction and a tour behind the scenes (1 h). Complete the package by choosing at least one additional activity:
Short film workshop
”Reuse Film Made by Me” (1h)
Be creative director of your own short film.
Handicrafts workshop
”Souvenirs Made by Me” (1h)
Get creative and make unique gifts from second hand materials.
Hands-on lesson
Sustainable consumption, case: clothes
Discover the journey of clothes and learn to recognise quality from trash.
Lecture
Waste recycling – how we do it in Finland
Sorting waste is easy!
Children (aged 7 to 12)
For young kids a visit to Kierrätyskeskus and a glimpse behind the scenes is unforgettable. Our experienced environmental educators show how items find a new home after sorting and stocking onto a shelf.
Visit packages
All visit packages include introduction and a tour behind the scenes (1 h). Complete the package by choosing at least one additional activity:
Short film workshop
”Reuse Film Made by Me” (1h)
Be the creative director of your own short film.
Handicrafts workshop
”Souvenirs Made by Me” (1h)
Get creative and make unique gifts from second hand materials.
Hands-on lesson
Waste recycling – how we do it in Finland
Waste sorting is easy!