Children’s Town
Aleksanterinkatu 16 • Mon-Fri 11-19, Sat-Sun 11-17 • Free entry
In Children’s Town, Helsinki’s past is illustrated by means of play and joint activities. Entrance to Children’s Town is always free of charge.
Near the Senate Square, in the oldest city blocks of Helsinki, you can find the blue-grey Sederholm House, built in 1757. It is the oldest house in Helsinki. There, as a part of the Helsinki City Museum, is located Children’s Town, an exhibition especially targeted at the youngest citizens. In Children’s Town, children and their companions can learn more about Helsinki’s history through own experiences and joint activities.
Children’s Town offers an opportunity to jump into a horse-drawn carriage or steer a ship in 18th century surroundings. For the youngest museum visitors, there is a special marine play, reading and rest corner. You can study everyday items from the 1970s in Grandma’s House and watch the favourite TV shows of the time. On weekends, a museum grandma or grandpa is at home in Grandma’s House. In the 1930s elementary school class, you can just picture a schoolmaster with a pointer and a stern face.
There is a lot to study and explore. Showcases feature favourite toys from different periods, from little ponies to mutant turtles and Star Wars figures. The Sederholm shop from the 18th century is a perfect environment for playing shop. Puppets and amusing role costumes and role cards are available in the theatre. You can practise your writing skills, using old tools from sandbox to blackboard, and in another room, you can play with cars or decorate the dolls’ house as you like.
In Children’s Town, everything that is on display may be touched. Children can play under the supervision of their parents or other accompanying adults.
Birthday at the museum!
Children’s Town has long been a popular venue for birthday parties for families with children. Now you can purchase a Birthday at the Museum! party package that offers a memorable tour of Helsinki’s history, while celebrating the hero of the day!
The City Museum is working with the City of Helsinki’s Child Welfare to make these packages available to low-income families as well.
There is a shelter for prams in the courtyard that can be accessed through the gateway at Aleksanterinkatu 16. You can leave your pram in the shelter and enter the building through the main door. You cannot take prams to Children’s Town, due to lack of space, but other parts of museum are accessible with a pram. There is a place for eating snacks on the lower floor of Children’s Town, with a microwave oven for heating food.
