HELSINKI HIGHLIGHTS

With Finland celebrating a century of independence this year, there’s no better time to drop in and soak up the charm of its seaside capital. Helsinki Art Museum (HAM) is mounting a major exhibition between March 3 and July 30 titled “Modern Life!”— drawing on the collections of five local institutions to chronicle the development of Finnish modernism from 1917–1968. Later this spring, Helsinki Zoo will unveil its threehectare Finnish Forest, a rocky pine habitat featuring all the country’s large carnivores—except for wolves—alongside a host of endangered birds and small mammals. Helsinki is also gearing up for its annual birthday bash on June 12, with over 100 free events dotting the city for Helsinki Day ( visithelsinki.fi).