Saaristomuseo Pentala

About the museum

Saaristomuseo Pentala is on Pentala island in the Suvisaaristo archipelago of Espoo, where there was once an archipelago village settled by fishermen. According to local tradition, the first residents were Estonian fishermen who settled on the island at the turn of the 19th century. The island no longer has year-round residents.

The museum area is an old fishing farm. Gurlin talo (Gurli's House) is a house museum, in which time has been stopped at the last summer, 1986, of the fisherman's widow Gurli Nyholm. The area also has a fisherman's cottage built at the end of the 18th century, one of the oldest residential buildings in Espoo, and a reed-roofed shore storehouse (ranta-aitta) with an exhibition on year-round fishing.

The information point and museum shop are in Villa Rosengård, and there is Cafe Pentala in the area. Admission to the museum area is free, and Gurli's house can only be entered on a guided tour. The museum belongs to KAMU Espoo City Museum.

Highlights

• Gurli's house, where time stopped in the summer of 1986
• Fisherman's cottage from the late 18th century
• Shore-storehouse exhibition on year-round fishing
• Cafe Pentala in the museum area
• Arrival by archipelago boat

Permanent exhibitions

• Gurlin talo – A house museum where time has been stopped at the last summer, 1986, of the fisherman's widow Gurli Nyholm.
• Ympärivuotinen kalastus – The exhibition in the reed-roofed shore storehouse tells of fishing in the different seasons.

Founded

2018

Admission & discounts

Admission to the museum area and the other museum buildings is free; a fee is charged only for the guided tour of Gurli's house. The Museokortti (Finnish Museum Card) and Kaikukortti are accepted. The guided tour has room for 10 people, on a first-come, first-served basis, and tickets are sold in the Villa Rosengård museum shop.

Accessibility

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

The museum area is an old fishing farm and only partially accessible. The paths are sand paths, and a gentle uphill slope rises from the jetty; in rain the rocks and lawns can be slippery. It is about 100 metres from the jetty to the info building, and the archipelago boat jetty can be reached by a movable ramp. Villa Rosengård, the café and the toilets can be reached by ramp. The museum buildings have high thresholds and steps, and Gurli's house is cramped and not accessible. The museum area has an accessible toilet and a changing room, but no induction loop. Accessible guided tours can be arranged by telephone.

Kids & families

• Baby changing facilities

Getting there & parking

Using an archipelago boat is recommended, as there is limited space at the museum's jetty. There are 10 places at the jetty for your own boat, and mooring is allowed for four hours; overnight stays are not allowed. Kayakers can land next to the shore storehouse. Several companies offer charter and taxi boat connections. Suomenoja is the most accessible departure port.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

Cafe Pentala in the museum area and the museum shop in Villa Rosengård. There are no other public toilets on the island.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit