Christmas at the Burgher’s House Museum
Christmas season at the Burgher’s House Museum begins on Wednesday 27 November, when the small wooden home is decorated with mid-19th century Christmas decorations. Visitors can enjoy the delicious scents of Christmas by the warmth of the kitchen stove, picturing hard-working pairs of hands baking gingerbread cookies. The small Christmas tree in the sitting room, decorated with candles and cookies, stands on the table, as is typical of the era.
The Christmas event at the Burgher’s House is celebrated at 12.00–15.00 on 8 December. Come along and enjoy the festive atmosphere and craft traditional Christmas tree ornaments. You can listen to festive tunes by the double quartet of the Addictio chamber music choir at 13.00 and 14.00. On two Saturdays, 30 November and 14 December at 14:00, visitors can also make their own easy Christmas tree decorations according to genuine 19th century instructions.
In the first days of the year, news and folk songs from the 19th century will echo through the Burgher’s House when singer Laura Reunanen and visual artist Elina Saloranta become artists-in-residence at the museum. They will be ‘resident’ on Thursday 2 January, Friday 3 January and Saturday 4 January from 11.00 onwards, when a fire will be lit in the tile stove in the courtyard chamber, and they will stay there until the fire burns out. Saloranta will be reading excerpts from 19th century newspapers and Reunanen will be singing folk songs in the theme of the news articles. The audience will be invited to sit for a spell on the floor in front of the fire and join in on the songs.
The Burgher’s House Museum is open for the Christmas season from 27 November 2024 to 5 January 2025. The museum opening hours are Wed–Fri at 13.00–18.00 and Sat–Sun 11.00–17.00. Click here for exceptional opening hours.
Entry to all the Christmas events is free of charge.
Photo: Maija Astikainen / Helsinki City Museum