Sepänmäen käsityömuseo, the Blacksmith Hill Crafts Museum for the English translation, is located in the village of Hirvihaara, close to Mäntsälä, south of Finland. It’s about an hour’s drive south to Helsinki and it’s located in the quiet countryside.
Hirvihaara was an area inhabited by artisans from the end of the 18th century, where craftsmen worked until the early 20th century. Today, there is an open-air museum in the area, many of the buildings of which are artisan shelters in their original location, while some of them are similar cottages moved from other parts of the Mäntsälä area.
The Sepänmäki Handicraft Museum in Mäntsälä’s Hirvihaara is a living and functional open-air museum that tells about the life of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries in a fun and interesting way. The workshops of the various professional groups are in their original form in connection with charming housing.
The old courtyard shapes are beautiful and well-proportioned. The paths winding between the cottages connect the different courtyards into a meaningful whole, leading the visitor from one cottage to another. The old residential area of the artisans has been restored as a museum: about 8,000 handicraft-related objects have been collected there, and the area of more than one hectare has 20 different buildings and 14 workshops or workspaces.
Most of the museum buildings are in their original location, only similar buildings have been replaced by similar buildings. The names of the cottages “Pirkkala”, “Sepäntupa”, “Jokapaikka”, “Hemmilä”, “Leppälä” and “Koskela” are also original place names. In this way, Sepänmäki and its small cottages form an interesting cluster of settlements, which tells about the authentic ancient way of life in Mäntsälä in an authentic way.
Most of the buildings are open and can be visited, they are decorated with authentic antic furniture and objects.
Hidden behind the old buildings and through a small and short forest path stands an old windmill on top of the hill. It’s not working anymore and cannot be visited.
It’s a beautiful place to visit with the family, especially in spring when the apple trees and lilacs are in bloom.
There is a toilet inside the museum as well as a small coffee shop selling cold and warm drinks as well as bakeries.
How to go?
The easiest way is to take the E75 highway and leave at exit 12 in Mäntsälä.
Then take road 1456 to Hirvihaara / Ohkola / Kellokoski and you will see the museum road sign.
When to visit?
The museum is open from the beginning of June until mid-August and from 11.00 to 17.00 and only from Wednesday to Sunday (closed on Monday and Tuesday).
The entrance is 3,50€ per adult and 2€ for kids but they have group and family offers.
They sometimes have special weekend happenings.
For more information, look at their website or Facebook page:
https://www.mantsala.fi/vapaa-aika-ja-matkailu/kulttuuri/museot-ja-kartanot/
www.facebook.com/sepanmaenmuseo/
