Address: Seurasaari Island
Phone: 358 9 4050 9660 summertime / 358 9 4050 9574 wintertime
http://www.nba.fi/en/seurasaari_openairmuseumTraveler ReviewsGreat all year round
Reviewed by A TripAdvisor Member on Sep 21, 2008
I just love this place! Even now I've lived in Finland a couple pf years the novelty of going to Seurassari has not worn off and I still go regularly with my boyfriend for walks all year round. In the summer the place is thronging with finns and tourist alike. The island is completely car free so no traffic dodging. The open air museum is relatively inexpensive and well worth a look. Scattered around the island are numerous old wooden buildings that have been brought from various locations around Finland and you can go in them for a look around. There are guides on hand to tell you the history of each building and you can learn a lot about finnish traditions and history. A great time to visit Seurasaari is Juhannus. Juhannus is a finnish celebration day, held on the longest night of the year, usually around mid June. The entire island is packed with people and you can watch people in national dress perform traditional dances, buy local handicrafts and watch as the Juhannus bonfires are lit when it gets dark. Every year a couple gets married on Juhannus in the wooden church on Seurasaari and they have their first dance in front of the huge crowd on a big wooden stage. It's a really unusual spectacle to see so if you're coming in the summer, I'd definitely recommend Seurasaari at Juhannus. The other main attraction here though is the squirrels. Yes, squirrels Seurasaari has thousands of squirrels which are without doubt the fattest, best fed squirrels in the world. They are so used to humans that they are almost completely tame and will run right up your leg and onto your shoulder if they think you have food. A lot of people, including myself, bring a bag of nuts with them when they come for this exact purpose and many hours can be wasted here simply walking around feeding the squirrels and the little birds who are also tame. You honestly feel like you've stepped into a disney movie:) Another attraction here is the big public barbecue located in the centre of the island near the stage. There are picnic benches all around and you can bring your own sausages or whatever takes your fancy and grill to your hearts content. Could make for a very cheap family day out because entrance to the island itself is free. All in all, a fantastic place to see.
Beautiful open-air museum
Reviewed by A TripAdvisor Member on Apr 30, 2004Seurasaari is a beautiful open-air museum. The countryside is stunning - acres of forests and fields - and the buildings are fascinating. The museum contains buildings transported to Seurasaari from all over Finland, so you get to see examples of all sorts of early Finnish architecture, from farm houses to churches to manor houses, all filled with period furniture. The museum is easily accessible by bus from Helsinki, and admission is cheap, so there's no reason to miss it. Definitely try to go during the summer when the buildings are open and you can go in them.
