Härkälän kartano

About the museum

Härkälä Manor is located in Somero on the shore of Lake Kirkkojärvi, halfway along the old Härkätie road of Häme. Härkälä is first mentioned as a place in 1463, and according to sources the manor's eventful history begins in 1593 at the latest. The present main building was built in 1882 by its owner Emil R. Gammal. The oldest surviving structures are the rare two-part vaulted cellars from around the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries.

The state bought the estate in 1905, and in the 1920s the municipality of Somero acquired the manor with its buildings for use as a municipal home, which operated for almost 60 years. Soili Suominen-Hurme and Raino Hurme bought the run-down manor in 2005, after which the buildings and parks were restored. The manor opened to the public in 2008, and today it serves as a cultural site, a venue for celebrations and a private home.

The permanent exhibitions feature art and Asian collections gathered by the owner couple since the 1980s, including the Japanese and Chinese exhibition rooms, miniature paintings, a natural history cabinet, a collection of hat pins, a Barbie room, handmade dolls and old toys. The manor gallery hosts changing art exhibitions.

Highlights

• Manor from 1882 and vaulted cellars from the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries
• Japanese and Chinese exhibition rooms
• Miniature paintings, natural history cabinet and hat pin collection
• Barbie room, dolls and old toys
• Narrative manor tours led by the master of the house

Permanent exhibition

• Härkälän kartanon perusnäyttelyt – Art and old objects, Japanese and Chinese exhibition rooms, miniature paintings, a natural history cabinet, a hat pin collection, a Barbie room, dolls and toys, and the vaulted cellars.

Founded

2008

Admission & discounts

Museum Card accepted (Museokortti (Finnish Museum Card)). Ticket categories €15 / €12 / €0. Private manor tour (about 60 minutes) from €60, plus admission fees.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Step-free access is available to the ground floor of the main building, to the accessible toilet, and to the park and garden areas; there are parking spaces by the accessible ramp. Some of the exhibition rooms are on the second floor, which is not suitable for all people with reduced mobility.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Baby changing facilities

Dolls, toys and the Barbie room delight children; the manor has a nursing room.

Getting there & parking

The manor is on the shore of Kirkkojärvi lake, about 100 kilometres from Helsinki and 80 kilometres from Turku. The address is Härkälänkuja 33.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

The manor has a sales point and lounge space with seating.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events

Festive hall and ready-covered festive rooms with dining facilities, as well as accommodation in the manor's guest rooms.

Plan your visit