The old, mainly wooden town center is protected due to its cultural historical value, and renovation of even residential buildings is strictly controlled.

[citation needed] Ekenäs is home of the oldest still functional movie theatre in Finland called Bio Forum.

One of the most renowned finnish modernist painters Helene Schjerfbeck spend her summers 1918-1920 in Ekenäs and lived in the town permanently 1925-1941.

Ekenäs museum center Ekta has a permanent exhibition of her work called Helene Schjerfbeck's Life and Art.

Emma Engdahl-Jägerskiöld, one of Finland's first internationally-recognised opera singers grew up in, and always retained a close connection with, Ekenäs.