Helsinki City Museum

History of the city of Helsinki

The museum building is located near the Senate Square. Five old buildings and a new building were combined into one museum and three courtyards are also part of the complex.

The mission of the museum is to preserve the spiritual, material and architectural heritage of the city. Over the years, the collection has grown so large that only a fraction can be exhibited at any given time. The museum's collection consists of about 450,000 objects and one million photographs. From sugar papers to works of art to parts of buildings, Helsinki is represented in all its facets. The museum documents the city's history up to the present day, and interviews provide an entirely new insight.

Four other museums

The Helsinki City Museum also includes four other museums: the Hakasalmi Villa, the Burghers House Museum, the Museum of Worker Housing and the Tram Museum.

• Hakasalmi Villa was once owned by Aurora Karamzin, who was a pioneer in the field of social work in Finland. Today the house is used for temporary exhibitions.
• Burghers House Museum is the oldest wooden house in downtown Helsinki. It is furnished in the style of the 1860s and shows the everyday life of the wealthy middle classes at that time.
• The Museum of Worker Housing is dedicated to the life of the working class of the early 20th century. The wooden building was completed in 1909 for the city workers.
• The history of streetcar transport in Helsinki is covered in the Tram Museum in the former streetcar hall.