Lapinlahden Lähde City Nature Center
The purpose of the Lapinlahden Lähde City Nature Center is to increase well-being by strengthening the connection to nature in the city by providing nature contacts, well-being, skills and knowledge about nature.
Our aim is to provide visitors and target groups in Lapinlahti with place-based nature-related activities, information, skills and inspiration. The Lapinlahden Lähde City Nature Center is part of the Pro Lapinlahti mental health association’s low-threshold well-being activities.
The activities at the Lapinlahden Lähde City Nature Center within the Lapinlahti Center for Arts, Culture, Mental Wellbeing and Entrepreneurship promote the well-being of city residents through nature. Rooted in the legacy of mental health work at the former Lapinlahti Hospital, the centre acknowledges the therapeutic effects of nature—a consideration evident since the hospital’s inception. The hospital environment itself is inherently therapeutic. The City Nature Center aims to provide new skills and ways to deepen one’s connection with nature as a source of personal well-being.
We fulfill this mission by organizing open nature-related courses, events, workshops, clubs, lectures, excursions, and guided tours. We promote the adoption of a more natural lifestyle by offering low-threshold, free opportunities to participate. The methods for strengthening the human–nature connection are diverse: art, music, crafts using recycled materials, urban gardening, outdoor exercise, and mindfulness practices, to name a few. Participation is central, and participants have a say in shaping the content of the activities.
We offer our target groups location-based nature activities, information, ideas, and inspiration. Location-based means that the activities are rooted in the Lapinlahti park and community, drawing from the possibilities offered by the park and its people, in line with the idea of “Lapinlahti for Everyone.” The City Nature Center offers diverse nature-based activities. We organize free, open-access workshops, excursions, events, and group activities that support well-being and connection to nature—such as the popular Community Gardening Club.
The Lapinlahden Lähde City Nature Center at Lapinlahti began its operations in 2018. We operate with project-based funding, and most of our activities are free of charge. Currently, our operations are funded by the City of Helsinki’s project for older adults. This season’s project is “Movement from Lähde (a fountain)!” – encouraging meaningful, movement-based activities for seniors. In the previous season, the focus was on cultural activities; in 2023–2026, more on physical activity.
We warmly welcome everyone to participate in ways that suit their own resources and capacity.
As a visitor, you also have the opportunity to influence the content of our activities.
We are happy to collaborate with educational institutions, organizations, companies, and city officials.
We also offer internship opportunities for students in the nature and environmental fields.
Get in contact!
Our email is kaupunkiluontokeskus@lapinlahdenlahde.fi
Get involved and make a difference!
As a visitor, you also have the opportunity to influence the content of the activities. We are happy to cooperate with different educational institutions, organisations, companies or city operators. Feel free to contact us!
