The Mannerheim Museum is located in Helsinki

Helsinki

Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...

, Finland

Finland

Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...

. It is dedicated to preserving and displaying items related to the life and times of Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim

Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim

Baron Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim was the military leader of the Whites in the Finnish Civil War, Commander-in-Chief of Finland's Defence Forces during World War II, Marshal of Finland, and a Finnish statesman. He was Regent of Finland and the sixth President of Finland...

, a Finnish

Finland

Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...

 statesman and military officer. The Mannerheim Museum is located on top of a hill in a prestigious residential area next to the Kaivopuisto

Kaivopuisto

Kaivopuisto , or in spoken language, Kaivari, is one of the oldest and best known parks in central Helsinki, Finland, and also a neighbourhood of about 500 inhabitants where the park is located.-Geography:...

 park in Helsinki

Helsinki

Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...

. The building was the home of Mannerheim from 1924 to 1951. With the exception of a few rooms that have been converted for exhibition purposes, his home has been preserved in its original state.

History of the building

The building was originally constructed in 1874 and became known as the Boman Villa, after its first owner. It was the home of Mannerheim from 1924 until his death in 1951, although he never actually owned it, but rented it from the industrialist Karl Fazer

Karl Fazer

Karl Otto Fazer was a Finnish commercial counselor, businessman, and sport shooter.He was born in Helsinki and died in Jokioinen. He had four children and was the grandfather of Peter Fazer...

. Prior to his tenancy it had been divided into six separate flats for workers in Fazer’s chocolate factory, and Mannerheim had to have major alterations made before he could move in. He attached great importance to his home, which is reflected in the interiors, which he had designed himself right down to the colour schemes and the positioning of the furniture. After Mannerheim's death in 1951 the Mannerheim Foundation continued to rent the house from the Fazer family. In 1957 the house was purchased by the foundation and converted into a museum.

Exhibits

The museum is a mixture of original furnishing of the building from early 1940s, and additional material brought in to illustrate the life of Mannerheim and the historical context of the period. Among the notable exhibits is an extensive collection of medals and other honours which Mannerheim received from numerous countries. Also displayed are his numerous hunting trophies, book collection, gifts and portraits of his ancestors. Mannerheim's bedroom, which is kept at its original state, displays the spartan conditions in which he preferred to sleep. The museum also maintains an extensive archive of photographs.

The museum receives approximately 10,000 visitors a year. The entrance fee also includes a guided tour, and it is not possible to visit the museum without a guide. This is because the rooms are actually fairly small, and packed with delicate exhibits. The tours are available in Finnish, Swedish, English, German, French, Russian and Spanish.

See also

• Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim
  Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim
  Baron Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim was the military leader of the Whites in the Finnish Civil War, Commander-in-Chief of Finland's Defence Forces during World War II, Marshal of Finland, and a Finnish statesman. He was Regent of Finland and the sixth President of Finland...