Helsinki Rejects New Guggenheim Museum

A plan to build a new Guggenheim museum on the Helsinki waterfront has been rejected by politicians in Finland. The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation proposed, in January, that it and the Finnish capital jointly develop a new contemporary art museum.

Global Politics

Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain (Photo: educacionartistica/Flickr)

A plan to build a new Guggenheim museum on the Helsinki waterfront has been rejected by politicians in Finland.

The Helsinki city board voted eight to seven against putting the 140 million euro ($183 million) project forward for the city council’s consideration.

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation proposed, in January, that it and the Finnish capital jointly develop a new contemporary art museum.

The foundation operates museums in New York, Berlin, Bilbao and Venice.

A fifth is currently under construction in Abu Dhabi.

Host Marco Werman speaks with Mark Bosworth who reports for the BBC from Helsinki.