Seurasaari

An island in Helsinki given over to an open-air museum of old wooden buildings, moved here from all over Finland and set down in dense forest. Helsinkians come out for the quiet as much as the exhibits, and the island keeps its own wildlife, birds especially, but red squirrels and hares too. Midsummer is the peak: a huge bonfire is built on a small isle just off the coast and lit by a newly married couple, watched by thousands from the shore and from boats. In October 2024 the museum was announced for closure under Finnish Heritage Agency budget cuts.