Exploring circular economy – visit to Heureka’s Circular Factory, Vantaa, Finland

Heureka, the Finnish Science Centre in Vantaa, is a popular destination for school groups and families, offering hands-on exhibitions that make science accessible and engaging. Its themes range from AI to the Ice Age, with a strong emphasis on learning and fun. 

Since October 2019, Heureka’s Circular Factory exhibition has introduced the principles of the circular economy through interactive games. As a long-standing science communication activity, the exhibition has been experienced by hundreds of thousands of people and remains relevant today. 

A delegation from Xamk, Kymenlaakson Jäte and Parik Foundation visited the exhibition as part of the ReSolutions project. The group was interested in seeing how a six-year-old exhibition has communicated the topic to a sizeable audience. The core practices of circularity have not changed, and the exhibition even encourages visitors to reflect on whether everyday items could be shared and lived without. 

The inspiring and playful approach of the exhibition sparked valuable discussions on how we can make circular solutions more visible and accessible, and what motivates people to reduce waste. The visit highlighted how well-designed experiences can bring circular economy principles close to people’s daily lives.