The initiator and commissioner of this thesis was the Cultural Services for Children and Youth of the City of Hämeenlinna. The workplace connection was Children's and young people's cultural center ARX, which coordinates and implements the local cultural education plan Kulttuuripolku (Culture Path) in the region. The aim of the thesis was to examine the meaning of the Culture Path for the schools and kindergartens of Hämeenlinna in relation to their existing curricula. The purpose was to find out whether the Culture Path brings additional value for the users in their educational work. The thesis also explored which cultural contents are practical and meaningful and how they support achieving the goals of the school curricula and kindergartens’ early childhood education and care plans.

The theoretical background of the thesis is based on literature and Internet sources that are related to the target group, culture and art education and their significance. The material consists of the results from the feedback survey organized by the workplace partner during the school year 2014–2015, and the results from a survey conducted by the author during the school year 2015–2016.

The thesis resulted in an understanding of the factors that make the Culture Path significant and valuable for the user. The results show that Culture Path supports the educational curricula with its diverse themes and working methods. Based on the answers from the surveys, the thesis presents development ideas and the respondents’ wishes for continuing the Culture Path. Emerging issues were: more flexible participation, regardless of age groups, and stronger connection between the contents and themes and the curriculum. Hämeenlinna offers good cultural education, but the knowledge among the educators about the different possibilities should spread further in order to increase the utilization rate.