Skogster Museum

At Skogster Museum, 3 changing exhibitions are presented annually, delving into the region’s history as well as the present day.

Museum Skogster’s temporary exhibitions have covered various topics, such as Finnish ceramics, the role of women in society, childcare, weddings and marriage, 1960s Hämeenlinna, popular culture, and the spiritual world.

In addition, Museum Skogster houses the oldest national savings bank museum in the Nordic countries, established in 1972. The permanent exhibition at the Savings Bank Museum offers an engaging perspective on the history of banking and the development of financial matters.

Palander House

The permanent exhibition at Palander House provides visitors with an opportunity to glimpse into the life of a bourgeois family in the city of Hämeenlinna a hundred years ago. The home museum showcases room ensembles from the grand hall to the kitchen used by the servants. The building was originates to 1860’s. The name of the museum is borrowed from a family that owned the house for quite a long time. Head of the family E.W. Palander served as a Russian language teacher at Hämeenlinna Lyceum from 1884 to 1904.

Birthplace of Jean Sibelius

In the permanent exhibition at Birthplace of Jean Sibelius, you can dive into the life and career of our internationally renowned national composer Jean Sibelius. The building, completed in 1834, has served as a museum since the 1960s and underwent extensive restoration in 2007. The museum offers a unique opportunity to explore Sibelius’s legacy and musical significance.

These exhibitions offer a diverse and fascinating experience, opening a window into the region’s history, art, and traditions.

Upcoming events

Friday, 11 September at 12:00 – Opening of the exhibition “HIS STORY”

Saturday, 12 Semptember at 11-17 – Children’s Saturday

Museum Skogster, Raatihuoneenkatu 8, Hämeenlinna. A free family event featuring guided butterfly keychain crafting. Admission is free for under-18s and for adults accompanying children.

Kekri Exhibition at Palander’s House, 10 October–8 November 2026

At Palander’s House, preparations are underway for winter. The Kekri exhibition explores preparations for the harvest festival and beliefs associated with Kekri.

Kekri, also known as keyri, köyri, köyry or kööri, is a traditional Finnish autumn festival with roots in European agricultural culture. Originally, Kekri was celebrated in honour of the spirit or deity of the land, who was believed to protect the cultivation of crops and ensure the fertility of livestock.

Kekri did not originally have a fixed date in the calendar. Instead, its timing was determined each year by when the autumn work on the farm was completed. The Kekri season begins on St Michael’s Day and continues until All Saints’ Day, traditionally falling between 29 September and the Saturday occurring between 31 October and 6 November. Kekri has been celebrated in Finland since before the 11th century, gradually acquiring Christian influences. In many parts of Finland, Kekri remained a more important celebration than Christmas or even Easter well into the 19th century and the early 20th century.

The theme for autumn 2026 is light and darkness. The exhibition leads visitors into the twilight world of the time of Kekri. Darkness conceals old beliefs, memories of spirits, and fears, while light brings with it a sense of safety and hope. How were darkness and light perceived during the time of Kekri?

Saturday, 10 October–Sunday, 18 October – Autumn Holiday Activities at Palander House

Palander House, Linnankatu 16. Self-guided activities for the whole family during the museum’s opening hours. The theme of the 2026 Kekri season is Darkness and Light.

Friday, 30 October at 17:00–21:00 – Kekri Event at Palander House

Palander House, Linnankatu 16, Hämeenlinna. An annual and popular autumn event celebrating Kekri. The recommended age limit is 12+, as some parts of the event may be exciting or frightening.

Concerts at the Birthplace of Jean Sibelius

With an audience capacity of only 35 people, each concert offers a wonderfully intimate atmosphere. We recommend reserving your tickets in advance.

Sunday 1 November at 2 pm – Aleksei Rybakov
More information coming soon.

Sunday 6 December at 2 pm – Finland: Independence Day Concert
Celebrate Finnish Independence Day with pianist and composer Tuomas Nikkanen. The programme includes music by Mielck, Sibelius, Oskar Merikanto and Nikkanen, offering a musical tribute to Finland.

Tickets at the door:
20 € adults
18 € pensioners and students
10 € under 18s, unemployed visitors and conscripts

Please note that the Museum Card is not valid for these concerts.

Advance booking is recommended, as the audience capacity at Sibelius’s Birthplace is limited to 35 people.

Reservations: sibeliuksensyntymakoti(at)hameenlinna.fi or +358 3 621 2755.

Come and experience live music in the intimate and historic surroundings of Sibelius’s Birthplace.

Would you like to perform in the museum? Contact us: annaliina.granqvist@hameenlinna.fi or sibeliuksensyntymakoti@hameenlinna.fi. Concerts at the Birthplace of Jean Sibelius are generally held on Sundays at 2 pm, although exceptions may be possible by separate arrangement. Our concert season is divided into two periods: winter–spring (1 November–31 May) and summer–autumn (1 June–31 October). Concerts and other events for the winter–spring season are confirmed by 30 September, while those for the summer–autumn season are confirmed by 31 March.