Heikkilän kotiseutumuseo

About the museum

The Heikkilä farm has been settled since at least the 16th century, and it is one of six farms in the village of Yli-Kerava that are mentioned in the bailiff’s land register of 1543. The farm remained a family estate until the early 1920s. In 1769 it was divided into Yli-Heikkilä and Ali-Heikkilä, and the main building of today’s museum was built during the division of the Yli-Heikkilä farm in the 1770s. It is a traditional Uusimaa paritupa (double-room house).

The Kerava market town bought the farm in 1955. The local heritage association Kerava-Seura was responsible for carrying out the museum project, moved buildings to the site from the surrounding area and built up a collection of objects showing peasant life. The local heritage museum was inaugurated on 16 August 1959, and in 1986 museum activity was transferred entirely to the City of Kerava. Today the site is managed by Taide- ja museokeskus Sinkka (Sinkka Art and Museum Centre).

The original farmyard includes, besides the main building, a luhti barn, a farmhands’ cottage (renkitupa) and a muonamies cottage (the cottage of a labourer paid partly in food). The other buildings on the site have been moved there from elsewhere in Kerava and the surrounding area. In the main building one can see what life on a wealthy peasant farm could have been like, and the farmyard is open year-round for independent visits.

Highlights

• Yli-Heikkilä main building built in the 1770s
• Farmyard with luhti barn, farmhands’ cottage and muonamies cottage
• Farmyard open year-round for independent visits
• Adolfiina’s cache trail for children
• Free admission
• Time Traveller’s Mystery (Aikamatkaajan arvoitus) escape game, by advance booking

Permanent exhibition

• Heikkilän päärakennus ja pihapiiri – The main building shows the life of a wealthy peasant farm; farmyard buildings include a luhti barn, farmhands’ cottage, muonamies cottage, forge and cowshed. In the main building’s display case there is also a small exhibition on the museum’s history.

Founded

1959

Operated by

Keravan kaupunki (Taide- ja museokeskus Sinkka)

Admission & discounts

Admission is free.

Free admission to the museum grounds at all times. Guided tours are free for Kerava schools and day-care centres; for other schools and day-care centres they cost €25. The guided tour fee is paid at the till of Taide- ja museokeskus Sinkka.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: not available
• Elevator: not available
• Accessible restroom: not available
• Accessible parking: no information
• 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

The museum grounds are not barrier-free. The interior is reached by stairs, and the rooms are narrow with high thresholds. The main paths in the yard are sandy, but not all buildings are along the sandy paths. A water toilet with a high threshold is available during opening hours.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Baby changing facilities: not available

During opening hours visitors can follow Adolfiina’s cache trail in the yard, which has independent tasks suitable for all ages. Outside opening hours a printable yard orienteering sheet is available. Pushchairs are recommended to be left outside the museum. There is no baby-changing room.

Getting there & parking

Heikkilä is about 800 metres from Sinkka and Kerava station, and is easiest reached by bicycle or on foot.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

In summer the main building has a small café (coffee, refreshments and ice cream; card payment only), which closes an hour before the museum. Products from the Sinkka museum shop are also on sale.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit