Soiva Metsä is an environmental artwork composed of large, unique musical instruments, located in Kaunisniemi, Suomussalmi. The instruments are surrounded by ridge-lined pine forests, small enchanting wetlands, and a winding lakeside landscape.

A nature trail winds through the pine-covered ridges, leading visitors past 16 interactive instruments that form a remarkable and inventive land art installation. This space encourages reflection on the deep connections between art, culture, and natural environments. The ridges also feature natural amphitheaters—depressions formed during the Ice Age—creating unique performance spaces, while the slopes offer a scenic outdoor recreation area for the local community. In Soiva Metsä, everyday life meets an extraordinary, multi-sensory, enchanting, and high-quality artistic experience. Along the nature trail, anyone can become a musician or an installation artist, and even the wind rustling through the trees joins in the symphony. The sounds of the instruments blend with the surrounding landscape, inviting visitors to ponder who is playing—and for whom.

The idea for Soiva Metsä was conceived by Jalo Heikkinen, then Cultural Director of Suomussalmi, together with his friend, musician Heikki Laitinen. The whimsical collection of instruments was designed and built by instrument makers and ethnomusicians Pekka Westerholm and Olli Penttilä, along with graphic designer Markku Penttilä. Constructed voluntarily in the summer of 1996, the installation was initially intended to remain in Kaunisniemi for only a few years. However, in 2025, the instrument collection will celebrate its 30th anniversary.

Even before the creation of Soiva Metsä, the Kaunisniemi landscape had already inspired artistic works, such as the performance piece Ansataival by choreographer-dancer Reijo Kela and musician Heikki Laitinen, which featured a series of scenes set along ridges, depressions, and lakes. Over the past few decades, many other artistic projects have taken place in the ridges of Soiva Metsä, where instruments and the surrounding nature play an integral role. Additionally, the Suomussalmi Summer Theater has been active in the area since the 1970s, and in 2017, a covered stage and a grandstand with 1,200 seats were added to the site.