At the Seurasaari Open-Air Museum, Finnish cottage culture will be presented permanently starting in summer 2026. The Summer Cottage, built in 1953, has been moved to Helsinki from Hyvinkää and is displayed at Seurasaari in its 21st-century form, with layers from different eras and original furnishings. The cottage was used by the same family until its relocation to Seurasaari in the fall of 2025.
The Summer Cottage tells the story of leisure practices and the increasing popularity of vacation homes after the war. Nearly every Finn has a connection to cottage life, and it is a form of cultural heritage that remains strongly present in everyday life. Cottage living has remained popular for decades.
This colourful and lively ensemble offers visitors the opportunity to experience a small cottage getaway in the middle of Helsinki.
The Summer Cottage opens to the public on 13 June 2026 on a beautiful waterfront plot, and will thereafter be open annually during the open-air museum’s opening hours.